In the Wake of Tomorrow
by Desi
Summary: Shuten meets his 'future' many years after Betrayal has it's Price
1. Shades of Melancholy

This is a continuation of Betrayal has it's Price. Remember Shuten's dreams of the girl? How Kaosu-sama told him that she was his future? If you're confused on how those things could happen when Nasuti ended up with Seiji this story line might help explain some things. It's not finished but I'll post the subsequent chapters when they are. 

This story is not always happy so be warned.

Disclaimer: Ronin Warriors/Yoroiden Samurai Troopers are not mine I'm only borrowing. All original characters in this story are mine. 

Ryo stood next to his wife and young son, accepting their sympathetic touches and whispers in a way that he would never have allowed in his youth. In his youth he would be angry, he would lash out and destroy. Now… now as he stared with overwhelming sadness at the two matching tablets, each bearing the name of two whom he held most dear to his heart. Now he could only whisper silently his sorrowful good byes to his friends that he would never forget as long as he lived.

_Oneesan… I am glad that you will not be alone, I cannot explain my finding comfort in that since it means the loss of another, however, please don't be angry with me, it does bring me comfort. Seiji I have never had the gift of words that came so easily to you and so I am certain that my eloquence will fall far short of your high standards. I shall miss you more than you can imagine, we have been together in battle and afterward as friends so long that life cannot continue the same without you. _

Ryo lifts his head and glances at the young woman who's eyes are narrowed at the ground, her hand firmly clutching that of the young boy who is unmistakably her brother, the young boy's tears soaking into the sleeve of her suit jacket, his eyes red and face flushed. The picture they made was heart breaking, yet he could not allow his heart to break at seeing them there for it meant that at least they were alive. Ryo lowered his eyes to the tablets again.

__

I am thankful for one thing; your children are alive to help fill the void left by your absence. They are the very best of both of you; both of them have such strength of character, like you Seiji and like you Oneesan they are both kind and loving. Hiko-kun remains close to his sister and cries at night since you left us. Yuki-chan… She is so strong, like you Seiji and guards her sensitive brother from any further pain. Ryo sighs heavily as the next thought enters his mind._ As much as she takes after both her parents I believe that she has inherited the worse of traits from her 'jisan. She is angry, it shows in a behavior that I fear can only be called self-destructive. I am ashamed to admit that I once had such shortcomings and they may have possibly rubbed off on one such as Yuki-chan. However, her anger at the world is apparent, she has been hurt deeply and she is determined not to show it or let it happen again._Ryo sighs again as he takes another quick glance at the young girl. _I hope she can learn to let go of her anger, for all our sake._

_The others have come to say farewell, I felt that familiar heaviness in the air and nearly found myself calling Rekka for the first time since before Yuki-chan was born. I have not approached them as yet; I am at a loss as to what to say after so many years. It's strange to look at them, we were once mere children in their eyes and now… now they are the children in my eyes. They have not aged one year in all this time and here I am with a son who is beyond his adolescence, nearly sixteen years old, close to the same age as us when they first appeared here on earth… How ironic._

A tear forms in Ryo's eye as he moves to step away, he wipes at his eyes and feels the tightening of his wife's hands round his arm. He halts and stares at the tablets again as if trying to see their faces in the smooth, granite surface.

"Good bye Oneesan, good bye Seiji" He whispers, bows slightly and then moves off to the side with his family.

Konoyuki Date read for what must be bordering on an infinite number of times the deeply engraved words scrawled across the two granite slabs that were all that remained of her parents. First her mother's name 'Nasuti Yagyu-Date' followed by the eternally beautiful and eternally melancholy words that she had requested… 'When I am dead my dearest, sing no sad songs for me. Plant thou no roses at my head, nor shady cypress tree' Then her father's name 'Seiji Date' and the continuation of those words from her mother's request; as they did in life they would also complete each other in death… 'Be the green grass above me, with showers and dewdrops wet and if thou wilt, remember and if thou wilt, forget' 

_Okaasan, Otousan… I cannot help the sad songs singing in my heart… I am sorry. _ She whispered silently, regretfully as if she were letting them down, she squeezed her younger brother's hand to offer him the comfort that he needed as the occasional sniffle escaped him from time to time. _But I will bury them deep, I will not show my weakness, I will be strong for 'niichan._

Yuki hated this day, she hated this ceremony and she hated all these people here staring at her and her brother. She had remained polite, kept the passive smile pasted on her face for as long as she could, the armor of that smile held throughout the day. And now… now she could no longer smile, that mask she wore cracked and broke away hours ago and she now kept her head bowed, her eyes lowered, avoiding the eyes of others, only her uncles could understand, her uncles and their children she had grown up with. 

These people who were barely more than strangers scattered among her mother's family home didn't belong here, they did not know how truly beautiful her parents were, how their absence would darken the sky for eternity. She felt herself beginning to choke as tears threatened and she angrily pushed them back down.

She had to look away, lift her eyes from all that remained of her parent's lives and so she raised her head. Her eyes first sought the comfort of her uncles; Ryo-ojisan gave her the same sad smile he'd worn since the night he had delivered the news of her parent's deaths. Shin comforted Shuu-ojisan whose normally gamin smile was replaced with a sorrowful frown and trembling chin. Her eyes then skipped over to Touma-ojisan and next to him Sayuri; she and Sayuri had grown up close, nearly the same age and often in each other's company as their parents were. Another painful thought as she realized those days were gone and she hurriedly looked away, finding no comfort in her friend's sad smile today. Her eyes continued their survey of the people who had come, her eyes meeting theirs, catching a glimpse of their sorrow turning to pity before they looked away from her infinitely, pain-filled gaze.

She remembered her mother had once told her that she had her father's eyes and that other's often shied away from Otousan's sharp, clear eyes, that it frightened them because he seemed to look into their very souls. Yuki believed that he could, she believed her father could do anything, then...

__

I cannot see into their souls Okaasan. Her thoughts whispered to her mother as she moved from one face to the next and they all looked away. _Perhaps they can look into my soul and see through my eyes how it is crushed by unbearable sadness and they have to look away. _

Yuki came upon the three figures that she had seen earlier and felt that same odd sense of unease she had felt then. She did not see them arrive yet she knew the moment that they did; she could feel it, that and the obvious tension that showed in Ryo-ojisan as well as her other uncles at their presence. She thought at first they might have been students of her fathers but she had never seen them at the dojo and would certainly have remembered such odd looking young men if she had. With one having green hair, another blue like Touma's and Sayuri's hair and the other, well red was not so uncommon but still… there was something about that one that made him unforgettable. She had watched them closely as they had approached the final resting-place of her parents. The first two bowed before her father and seemed to linger in front of her mother, the green haired one stepped aside while the other placed his hand over her mother's name and whispered… what she could not tell. Then the tall redhead moved up, he bowed deeply, respectfully in front of her father and then dropped the most beautiful white lily on top of the ground where her mother lay beneath. He remained there, without moving for several minutes before moving off with his friends.

As if sensing her lingering gaze the man with the red hair lifted his eyes to hers; she was surprised to see that the look of sorrow did not change as it had in the others. He offered her no sad smile; no comforting reassurance and he did not look away, daunted as the others had been by the haunted look that most certainly showed in her eyes. Uncomfortable and unused to such blatant staring, Yuki moved on to other faces among those present. She could still feel his eyes on her however and glanced back to confirm that yes, he was still staring openly before she lowered her eyes to her mother and father once again.

__

What the hell is he looking at! She thought angrily. _Hasn't he ever seen a mother and father die and leave their children behind? Does he wish it were me and 'niichan rather than Okaasan and Otousan? I know I wish it were me instead._

She felt the burning sensation as her throat filled with tears and she struggled to hold it back. She swallowed hard to keep them at bay as she told herself again to be strong, to have courage_. Okaasan, Otousan… I am sorry; I am not strong enough._ She silently admitted her defeat as she felt a single tear form at the corner of her eye; she wanted to wipe it away but thought better of it. _Let them see this one tear because after this, there wont be any more. _She was done crying she was done hurting and she was done hanging her head.

Yuki lifted her head and it was as if the sun were rising as well, the tear spilled down her cheek, capturing the light in its liquid and refracting it, making it into a shining streak of diamond brilliance. She turned her eyes back to the man with the red hair and dared him to not look away. He didn't, he remained staring at her with that same sort of odd intensity of earlier and Yuki refused to lower her gaze again. 

_Let him see sorrow, let him see pain. _ She thought as she met his steadfast gaze. _I have more than enough to show him, more than enough to show the world, this one last time._

She saw a flicker in his eyes as the blue haired man next to him spoke, he leaned closer to hear him, his lips moved in response before he straightened again. All the while his gaze held, he never once looked away. Her peripheral vision caught movement as Shin moved toward the three strangers and the one locked in a battle with her had no choice but to appear completely rude and continue staring or acknowledge Shin's greeting, he chose the latter and his gaze fell away. They seemed friendly enough to her uncle's as they bowed to Shin and then Ryo as he approached as well, entering into conversation easy enough with each other. She noticed the red haired man doing most of the talking on the stranger's side and was suddenly caught off guard when he looked her way once again, followed by a look from Ryo. She could feel her eyes widening in surprise as they continued to talk while watching her and then began walking toward her and her brother.

She hated insincerity and she could not bear to hear another insincere utterance of sympathy, nor did she wish to subject her sensitive brother to it. She looked quickly to Sayuri whose eyebrows rose at her distress, looked around and noticed Ryo approaching with the three men, frowned then looked back and nodded her understanding. Yuki tightened her hand around her brothers, pulling him closer against her and leaned down to kiss the top of his blonde head and then lower to a point where she could whisper in his ear.

"Niichan." She whispered feeling him stiffen immediately which only served to make her angry that she had to protect him against such unpleasantness as this. "Why don't you go stand with Sayuri while I greet these gentlemen with Ryo-ojisan."

He raised his tear-stained face and eyes to hers… _Okaasan's eyes, blue and beautiful, Okaasan's eyes and Otousan's face_. She thought sadly brushing a lock of hair from his forehead, seeing her parents and missing them even more; she didn't know why these damned people couldn't just leave them alone. They obviously could not have been so close to their mother and father to ever come for a visit or be invited for dinner, otherwise she would know them. Despite most of the people attending today being virtually strangers, she had at least met them at some point in her life, but these three who intruded on her brother's fragile state of mind with their need to offer insincere condolences and empty sympathies… 

"Wakatta." Her brother managed to speak around a choked sob and after a brief hug moved away to the waiting embrace of Sayuri, joined by the comforting hand of Touma and Sayuri's mother on his shoulder. Toyohiko was probably more than happy now that he was held so tightly against the one girl who he'd had a major crush on for as long as she could remember. Yuki allowed herself a small smile before turning back, her smile fading quickly as she watched them move closer, not missing the way the red haired leader's interest in her younger brother kept his gaze on him for a moment before returning to her. 

"Yuki-chan." She turned to Ryo, her eyes softening as they met his. "I would like to introduce someone to you. These gentlemen were once friends of Onee… uh… of your mothers"

She smiled sympathetically at her uncle, she knew how close he had been with her mother, she couldn't remember a single moment that they did not refer to each other as brother and sister, this was not an easy day for any of them. _Friends of her mothers…. _

"Of course, ojisan." She answered quietly turning to the strangers before her and offering a slight bow before Ryo offered the introduction.

"This is Yuki Date." He turned back to the three strangers, holding his hand out to indicate each of them as he spoke their names, each of them bowing in turn. "Yuki-chan this is Naaza. Anubis and Shuten doji."

Yuki slyly raised her eyes to the leader's hair, as ridiculous as the name was it certainly fit, she lowered her eyes back to his and noticed them narrowing in understanding before she quickly looked to one of the others. 

"Anubis-san?" She spoke with wonder and noticed the raising of his eyebrow at the question in her voice. "That's a rather odd name, isn't that the Egyptian god of death?"

"You could say…" His voice was rather quiet and gentle before it was abruptly cut off by the one called Shuten doji.

"Your name is not Yuki!" He nearly shouted, his voice incredulous, as if her name was the most ridiculous word he'd ever heard. Like he had room to talk. "Is it girl?"

Yuki looked around, concerned with making a scene at her parent's funeral; when it was apparent that no one took notice she turned her angry, disdain-filled eyes back to Shuten doji. She had very little tolerance left and this man, with his disrespectful behavior at her parent's funeral was about to push her beyond her limits. She took a deep, calming breath, trying to maintain the last threads of her self-control.

"You'll have to forgive Ryo-ojisan, he is rather sentimental… Konoyuki Date." She spoke in a clipped tone indicating that she was not in the least sentimental. He ignored her tone and simply nodded before he turned his head, his eyes drifting to where her brother stood with Sayuri. This only served to anger her further and her father's meditation techniques although they helped did not always serve her well and she could not help whispering the scathing taunt. _"Red top kid."_

"Yuki!" Ryo's shocked gasp beside her a firm reprimand at her rude behavior, she lowered her eyes to the ground mumbling an empty apology, she didn't miss the sharp gaze that Shuten doji turned on her or the snickers of the other two at her obvious insult. She hid a smile at their barely contained humor in their arrogant friend being made fun of; it gave her the impression that it didn't happen often. 

The day was not over yet; much as she longed for it to be Yuki had withstood as much as she could and was fast approaching the limits of her patience and her strength. The same people that had greeted her upon arriving that morning, that offered the condolences that meant absolutely nothing, now offered more of the same as they bid farewell. Touma-ojisan relieved her from her duty as hostess, sensing her weariness that only grew with the professed sympathies that were as empty as she, for they could not provide what she really wanted… her parent's lives restored. 

After making sure that Hiko was safely in the confines of his bed and the promise of Sayuri to check on him periodically Yuki made her way to the area of the house that she knew would be devoid of people, an area that none would dare invade. Sliding back the shoji door Yuki stepped into another world, still part of her mother's family home, however she could not help but feel its separateness from the house. The voices from various locations within the house disappeared and only silence prevailed, the sleek wooden floors captured the light from the moon filtering through the shoji on the other side and cast its own golden glow throughout the room. The numerous swords that hung on the walls of her father's dojo glinted in the light, begging to be noticed, begging to be touched again, by her father. The sweet smell of pine drifted from the small garden outside and she inhaled deeply, moving on silent feet across the room. The high ceiling caught the light sound of her breathing and tossed it carelessly about in a quiet echo. She loved it here, she could feel her father here, could almost feel the light embrace of his arms about her and when she opened the shoji and stepped out on the balcony she could feel her mother. Closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of the two of them, holding her, comforting her and eternally loving her. Belying her eighteen years, Yuki could not help the childish plea slipping out, 'Otousan, Okaasan… please come back'. Her voice sounded small even to her own ears, she felt the familiar welling of tears in her eyes and the choking sobs filling her throat. _No!_ She reprimanded herself remembering her vow, her promise to herself, to her parents. _Hiko needs me to be strong, not some baka who cries at every turn. I said there will be no more tears and I meant it._

"Konoyuki Date". A quiet and vaguely familiar voice called from within the dojo. "I would like to speak to you."

It was perhaps to her good fortune that she was shocked into silence at the sight of Shuten doji standing in the center of her father's dojo. The words she'd been about to scream at the intruder dying on her lips would have certainly disproved and dishonored the manners instilled in her by both her overly polite parents, especially her father. Still, weary as she now was Yuki could not help being blunt with the man who had intruded on her solitude.

"What is it Shuten doji-san?" She asked unceremoniously, noting his surprise at the way she addressed him so formally. He recovered quickly and with a slight smile moved closer stopping once he reached the balcony.

He stared at her silently for several moments and Yuki waited, staring back watching as his eyes roamed over her hair then her face and stopping when he met her eyes.

"Worlds will mourn the loss of your parents." He spoke softly deep sympathy present in every word as well as pain, a pain that somehow Yuki herself could feel… his pain.

She gasped and stepped back in frightened confusion, her eyes narrowing on him suspiciously as he stepped closer once more. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, refusing to be afraid of him, refusing to be intimidated by his imposing nearness.

"I already know that!" She fired back at him her hands resting on her hips, trying to give a more impressive stature to her slight frame. She gasped again when his hand lifted and brushed back a lock of her smooth, straight hair.

"I do not think you do know Konoyuki Date." His soft voice still filled with sympathy, with sadness. "How could you possibly know, child?"

_Child!_ That certainly snapped her out of her daze. _What the hell does he mean calling me a child? He can't be much older than I am… twenty, twenty-one maybe. She was no child; she could take care of herself and her brother alone… she would have to_. She would have certainly told the insolent man who stood before her but the feel of his fingers under her chin, gently lifting her face for his inspection.

"You look so much like your father." He whispered his voice sounding curiously astonished. "Who would have thought…"

Yuki could take no more; whom did this man think he was to take such liberties with her. She had never met him before today; he professed feeling the pain of her parent's deaths yet she could not recall ever meeting him. He could not have been so close or felt so much for them to be bothered with seeing them while they were alive, did he somehow think, somehow feel that he deserved to mourn them now? And the way in which he patronized her, calling her child, telling her she looked like her father and earlier nearly causing a scene outside, in front of all those people. She wrenched her chin from his hand and pierced him with the eyes of her father she'd inherited.

"Get out!" She whispered with barely concealed rage watching him step back surprise evident in his eyes at her tone.

He stared back at her for several moments, the softness she'd seen earlier disappearing, replaced by an unreadable coldness that only served to anger her further. She saw his lips tighten angrily, his jaw clenching as he bit back what he, no doubt really wanted to tell her. He nodded and took another step back then stopped and the staring match continued.

"I wish to speak to your brother." Her eyes widened at his words that did nothing to aid the dissipation of her anger. "I have something for him."

"You stay away from my brother." She warned quietly, her eyes narrowing as he sighed and rolled his eyes before looking at her again. 

"Despite what you think…" He bowed lightly and turned, walking away from her. "… I will speak to him."

"Yuki! Ne Yuki, wake up!" She could hear the distant voice intruding on her sleep, forcing her into another torturous day that she didn't want to face. "Come on Yuki, Otousan made us breakfast."

Now she really didn't want to get up, if anything would guarantee her spending the rest of the day in bed it was the threat of Touma-ojisan cooking anything.

"Yuki…" Sayuri's voice continued to singsong her name then came her body, bouncing in accompaniment on her bed. "Yuki, Yuki, Yuki"

_Grrrrr_, she shoved her head under the pillow trying to block out her friends irritating wake up call while at the same time planning her demise.

"Yuki! Come on!" Sayuri continued her pleading. "Wake up!"

"Urusai!" She finally screamed sitting up slamming the pillow into her friend's unsuspecting face. 

"But Otousan worked so hard." Sayuri feigned hurt feelings as she stuck out her lower lip. "I only wanted to make sure you had something to eat."

"You only wanted to make sure I suffered through Touma-ojisan's cooking like you have to is what you mean." She remarked sarcastically as she climbed out of bed, dug through her closet until she found a pair of jeans and a sweater, slipping both on then running a brush through her hair and turning back to her friend. "Isn't that right Sayuri-chan?"

"Ohako da!" Sayuri shrugged her shoulder and then narrowed her eyes on Yuki and continued in mock severity. "Don't call me chan!"

"Okay, okay…" Yuki admonished and slipping her feet into her slippers she made her way downstairs to the dreaded breakfast, Sayuri in tow. 

Yuki was glad that Sayuri and her parents had more or less moved in with them since the funeral. Touma had felt it was best that she and her brother not be alone and Yuki was more than happy to have her best friend so near. Hiko was of course more than thrilled to have the woman of his dreams under the same roof, his initial foreboding forgotten when both girls decided he was far too sensitive and vulnerable to be subjected to their normal teasing. 

The biggest downfall to the arrangement was that they were often subjected to meals cooked by Touma. The days he didn't teach at the university were days of dreaded stomach pains and near death from the many food experiments he tried out on them.

After forcing down, as much of the substance that Touma swore was food, Yuki quietly contemplated that something was missing, a light going off in her head as she realized it was the presence of her brother. 

"Where's Hiko?" She asked lightly sipping the bitter tea and trying not to cringe as she swallowed it down then mumbled. "If I have to suffer through this so does he."

"What was that Yuki-chan?" Touma asked her from the sink where he was diligently washing the dishes. She gulped then winced as Sayuri's elbow dug into her side, not realizing she'd said it loud enough to be heard.

"Uh… nothing Touma-ojisan." She stammered. "I was just wondering where Hiko is?"

"Ahh…" She watched Touma nod as he continued with the dishes. "He ate earlier and said he was going for a walk."

Yuki lowered her eyes, her head bowing as she felt for her little brother's sadness, wishing she could take some of it upon herself_. Ne Hiko, off to see Otousan and Okaasan again?_ She raised her eyes as she felt the light touch of Sayuri's hand on her arm, meeting the smile of her best friend she smiled in return. It had only been two weeks; perhaps she was expecting him to recover too soon or at least show some signs of an attempt to get over their loss. She was deeply worried over her younger brother; he was far more sensitive than she allowed herself to be. It pained her to see him still so lost, still so hurt and the sound of his tears each night as he cried himself to sleep only seemed to add to her pain.

"… they came over with Ryo this morning." Lost in her own thoughts she heard only the tail end of what Touma had been saying. "I don't know how long they intend to stay here."

"I'm sorry Ojisan…" Yuki could feel a sense of unease filling her. "What was that you were saying?"

"The others… uh… The friends of your mothers you met the other day." Touma moved away from the sink, wiping his hands dry with a towel as he spoke. "They came over this morning…"

Hiko! She shot out of her chair and ran from the kitchen to the balcony and there, sitting by the lake was her brother and that, that… That son of a bitch! She had told him to stay away from her brother! Without thinking she ran back inside, flew at record speed down the stairs and out the front door leaving Sayuri and her father to stare after her dumbfounded.

"Uh oh." Touma muttered as he watched from the safety of the window, the angry stride of the young girl that so resembled that of her mother. Shuten was in for the fight of his life pissing her off.

"Otousan, dooshite?" He heard Sayuri ask beside him watching her best friend stalk purposely toward the two who sat engrossed in conversation below.

"Well… she's very protective." Sayuri looked at her father and rolled her eyes. He was so obtuse sometimes she wondered at his genius for he apparently had none when it came to people, at least that's what her mother often accused him of, the older she got the more she realized it was true.

"Niichan!" She called perhaps a little more harshly than she intended she realized as her brother jumped slightly before turning around to… smile at her? She had not seen him smile in weeks her eyes widened in surprise then she smiled back before her eyes drifted to the man beside him who scrutinized her with his sharp gaze.

"Oneesan." Her brother's cheerful voice brought her eyes back to him as he climbed to his feet and walked to her. "You slept in again ne? You need to get up earlier if you want to avoid Touma-ojisan trying to poison you."

He snickered and she cuffed him playfully on the chin, eliciting more laughter. She could not help but laugh with him; truly happy that her brother seemed to have at last made a step toward returning to himself again. 

"I'll remember that." She told him knowing full well that she would never take to rising early, she was definitely not a morning person and even less so now… Movement caught her attention and her eyes shifted over her brother's head to the man climbing to his feet behind him. She fixed a gimlet eye on him, which he infuriatingly ignored; in fact he ignored her completely and moved to stand next to Hiko.

"Oneesan, dooshite?" She heard her brother's concerned voice and her gaze softened as she turned, intent on reassurance when another voice intruded, stopping her.

"It will be all right Toyohiko." Shuten consoled her younger brother, smiling and earning one in return further setting off Yuki's anger. "Remember what I told you, talk to Rek… talk to Ryo, he will tell you the same."

"Shuten doji-san!" Hiko called out after he took a few steps and turned back, waving a silver box in the air. "Arigato."

Yuki rolled her eyes as Shuten waved back at her younger brother then turned to watch Hiko make his way to the house. She did not move or utter a word until she saw her brother walk through the door and close it behind him then she turned…

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" She demanded earning an incredulous look from Shuten. "I told you to keep away from my brother!"

"I only…" He began but Yuki cut him off.

"You only what?" She demanded angrily. "Thought you'd come here and disrupt what little peace he has managed to find with your false sympathies, comfort him with words like how much he looks like our mother or how deeply it pains you to lose such a good friend as our father?"

"I was never your father's friend." Shuten interjected smoothly. "I had a great deal of respect for him but I was _never_… his friend."

She was momentarily at a loss for words; she didn't know how to respond and could only stare at him in silence.

"I came here to give to your brother something meant to be his, nothing more." Shuten continued when she remained silent. "He started to ask questions about your mother and your father, about life and death to which he added his own ideas on the subject. I listened and told him what I thought when he asked"

"And are you such an expert on being an orphan Shuten doji-san?" She snapped at him, the anger sparking to life again. "Can you empathize with us over the loss of our parents?"

"You assume too much child." His cutting comment not lost in the smooth voice with which he delivered it, his eyes narrowing dangerously and still it did nothing to deter her anger. "I suggest you not say anything more."

"You arrogant jerk!" She shouted at him her index finger punctuating the air with each word she spoke. "If you come near my brother again I'll kick your ass!"

"I cannot believe Nasuti and Korin raised such a boorish, foul-mouthed child." He mumbled and turned away.

She was about to go after him with a swift kick to the head when she was halted by the sound of her name being called. Turning away from Shuten she looked back at the house where Touma and Ryo were waving her home.

Turning back to Shuten she watched him retreat back to the lake_. You have no idea how lucky you are…_ She thought silently.

"Sayonara Shuten doji-san." She spoke politely to his back, smirking as she noticed him stiffen at her words, not knowing that they were the last he had heard from her mother, not knowing that it wasn't because her threat had actually made him nervous as she believed.

"Sayonara Konoyuki Date." He replied quietly surprising her, then surprised her even further with his next words. "For now."

Japanese words

Wakatta - I understand

Ohako da - is like saying 'I've been found out' 

Urusai - shut up


	2. Broken Pieces of Happiness

My excessive use of 'san'; try to remember that Seiji would have extremely polite children and therefore them saying Anubis-san, etc would be normal for them.

Yuki stood just inside the balcony doors, arms crossed over her chest watching unnoticed by those on the grass below her. One month after the death of her beloved parents her brother was finally regaining some semblance of the happy teenager he had been prior to that devastating experience. He was laughing openly once again and the sad look that nearly broke her heart each time she saw it seemed to appear less and less often. 

_Ryo-ojisan was right_. She admonished grudgingly as she watched Hiko and Shiro Sanada practice their kempo diligently under the critical eye of… she growled… Shuten doji. Her eyes drifted to the hated man standing below with Hiko and Shiro, her teeth grinding and jaw clenching as she watched the boys turn their worshipful eyes on him, as if he were some kind of super hero. 

As much as she hated to admit it, Shuten doji's presence seemed to be just what her brother needed. She personally didn't understand what her brother could find to talk about with such a stoic and stuffy pain in the ass, however Hiko seemed to enjoy having him around and Yuki would not deny her brother Shuten's company no matter what her feelings. 

Stepping out onto the sunlit balcony, feeling the warmth through her sweater even as the light autumn breeze brushed its chilly fingers messing her hair and caressing her skin and making her smile. She used to enjoy the fall, it meant that soon the snow would come and with that lots of celebrating and visiting her father's family home in the mountains. Now the fall only served to remind her of all that she had lost, her smile faded as the sadness filled her once again but she was learning to play this game well. Closing her eyes she forced the sadness away, burying it deep in her heart where no one would see her weakness, opening her eyes again only after the emotion was locked away and it was as if the sadness never was.

She continued to watch unnoticed the progress of the two boys below and smiled when Hiko performed a leg sweep and dumped an unsuspecting Shiro onto his backside. Laughter drifted up and she turned her eyes on the man who stood nearby, narrowing her eyes curiously on Shuten doji she wondered why his laughter was so quiet and hesitant. She wouldn't have called it forced; it was more like the laughter of someone, who was not used to doing so, as if… he didn't know how to laugh.

__

Why was that? She wondered her head tipping curiously as she contemplated the man below. Despite what she thought of him, he was still rather pleasant to look at she noticed, not for the first time. That red hair alone was enough to make her want to run her fingers through it; straight as her own it draped over his shoulders like China silk and when the sun hit it, as it did now, it blazed like fire. His face was almost regal in its sharpness and eyes the color of the sea were set off by the depth of the knowledge they held, as if he knew more than he should, as if… he had seen a great many things in his youth. Added to all of this the power that emanated from him made Shuten doji one attractive package.

__

Too bad he's such an arrogant ass. She thought silently still holding onto her grudge and as if she had spoken aloud and he had heard her he turned and looked straight into her eyes. The laughter quickly faded from his eyes to be replaced with an emotion that she could not name but seemed to burn with intensity and Yuki had to force herself not to be intimidated, not to look away. 

"Oneesan!" 

"Yuki-neesan!"

Both of the boys cried simultaneously and she broke away from Shuten's intense gaze to smile at them and return their enthusiastic waves. She listened to them chat for a few moments and then reminded them that they were keeping their sensei waiting and that it wasn't polite. Her eyes drifted back to Shuten doji who smiled and gave a slight nod. She remained staring at him for a few moments longer, then nodded in return and walked back inside the house wondering why the hell she hadn't just delivered her usual scathing glance that let him know she thought more of the bottom of her shoes than him. 

_Because he has helped Hiko more than you could ever thank him for_. She reprimanded herself, feeling slightly guilty over her rude behavior. _Che… I don't care what he's done or how good-looking he is, I still don't like him._

Yuki stomped off to her bedroom and changed into her shorts and tee shirt, not bothering with etiquette since she would be practicing by herself she made her way back down stairs and to her father's dojo. Removing one of the bokken from the wall she began her warm up routine, then ran through the moves that her father had taught her since infancy. Increasing her pace as thoughts of him began to intrude, pushing herself as she pushed thoughts of him, the absence of him, from her head. From her heart. With Sayuri here she would not have had the chance to think of anything except her opponent, nearly as good as she, Sayuri had also learned the art of kendo from her father. He'd been a good teacher, infinitely patient and kind; it was this that made Yuki excel, the burning desire to please her father who was simply pleased that she was… that she was, just that, nothing more. Yuki could feel the painful ache in her chest following fast on the heels of her thoughts, if she didn't reel them in soon she would lose control, she tried to focus on the movements she knew so well. When she failed to perform one of the most basic of moves without fault she stopped and started again, only to repeat the same mistake. Continually she tried to complete the maneuver and continually she failed, growing increasingly frustrated with each attempt until she felt like she were going to cry, which she responded to in a manner that had become all too familiar to her… anger. When her last attempt failed to produce the results she wanted she clutched her bokken in a death like grip and struck the floor, screaming her frustration to the empty air. She could not move, could only stand still, her chest heaving from her efforts, to perform perfectly and control her aching emotions had taken a great deal of effort and even then she had not done both.

"Kuso." She berated herself while panting. "What's wrong with me?"

"You try too hard child." The sound of Shuten doji's voice made her turn sharply to the door, surprised that she hadn't detected him earlier. "In everything…"

"What the hell do you know about it?" She asked, her eyes narrowed on him suspiciously wondering how long he'd been standing there, smiling disconcertingly at her. 

The smile quickly disappeared at her harsh tone and rude question, he stared for a moment then shrugged his shoulder and turned to leave. Her anger dissipated as she stared at his retreating back, it was soon replaced by an overwhelming sense of shame at her behavior. Her parents would never have wanted her to behave in such a manner, especially after what he'd done for Hiko. Sighing deeply she dropped her bokken and went after him.

"Shuten doji-San!" She noticed his back stiffening before he turned around, she continued down the short hallway and stopped in front of him. "Gomen nasai, I… I should never have spoken to you like that; after all you've done… for Hiko. I… I'm sorry."

He was silent for so long that Yuki thought he was going to ignore her and continue walking away, either way she was obligated to wait for his decision, she owed him the apology but that did not mean he had to accept it.

"You do not owe me anything for Toyohiko, I enjoy teaching him." Shuten finally spoke. 

She supposed she didn't deserve any more of a response than what she got after the way she had treated him, well, in this instance anyhow. Suddenly weary, Yuki offered a small bow while whispering 'thank you, just the same', to which he bowed and then walked away. She remained where she was until he disappeared into the main part of the house and then went back to the dojo to clear away any evidence that someone had been there.

Knowing that Sayuri was still out shopping with her mother Yuki opted for a walk through her mother's garden. The cold struck her immediately and she hissed against the chill running through her sweat soaked tee shirt, this chill was soon replaced by another… the absence of her mother from the garden. Just as the dojo sang sorrowfully for her father so did every tree, every pebble of this garden sing for her mother; begging for her return, just as she did, begging for a smile, just as she did, begging for a single word. Just as she did. 

Yuki was too weary to stop her train of thought, or maybe not weary enough she decided and set off for a run, each step taking her closer and closer to the point of exhaustion. She ran along the perimeter of the forest, staying in the open areas, her legs carrying her along quickly, steadily until she neared the area where her parents were buried, where there stood a lone figure, with blue hair.

_Touma-ojisan, what is he doing out here?_ She wondered, her run slowing to barely more than a walk and then stopping all together as she realized it was not Touma but Anubis, which she thought to be even more out of the ordinary. She resumed her running until she reached his side, her steps alone should have gained his attention but he remained unaffected even by her heavy breathing. Only willing to remain silent beside him for so long Yuki's patience was fast wearing thin and just as she was about to blast him for ignoring her, he spoke…

"Have you come to be with your mother and father?" He asked her quietly.

"No!" She answered wishing to dispel any idea that he might have that she would kill herself over her parent's death.

"I can leave if you wish to visit with them in private." He finally turned and met her eyes, like Shuten doji's there was a vastness in their depths.

"No. No thank you." She answered more calm this time and slightly embarrassed at misunderstanding him. "I only came up here because I saw you here."

He raised an eyebrow at her then turned back to the granite markers in front of him.

"Who is this third one?" He asked pointing. "It looks as though it's been here quite some time."

"That one belongs to a small boy who saved my mother's life during the war." She answered quietly remembering her mother and father talking about Jun. "She and Otousan tried to find his parents after the war but they were never able to find anything."

"They must have perished during the war as well." Anubis answered quietly

"I don't know how Okaasan remained so… compassionate and warm after living through such an inhumane war." She spoke absently as she kept her eyes trained on Jun's headstone, very purposely avoiding looking at her mother and fathers. 

"Your mother's capacity to love others is… was, remarkable." Anubis commented oddly wistful. "Nasuti was remarkable."

"And my father, Anubis-san?" She asked quietly needing to hear something, anything about him, meeting his eyes as he turned to look at her sharply. "What of him?"

Silence resumed and Yuki soon noticed a softening in his eyes as he continued to meet her pleading look.

"Your father… without question he and your mother belonged together." Anubis' quiet voice spoke as if he were reminiscing. "He had the purest of souls, nothing ugly to cloud his judgment or abilities. His only weakness was loving your mother beyond measure…"

Yuki stared as he grew silent and his eyes seemed to grow sad as he lifted his hand to his face and traced over the scar that ran from his brow to below his eye. She wondered what he was thinking about and was contemplating asking him when she thought better of it, opting instead to leave him to his quiet contemplation.

"Thank you, Anubis-san." She spoke and smiled with sincerity, wondering at the odd look he gave her when she did so and could not help asking him. "What is it?"

"You look a great deal like your father." He answered her after several minutes of silent observation, she nodded in agreement. "Your smile however, you inherited from your mother."

Embarrassed she looked away and he was silent again for several minutes.

"I suspect that underneath all that armor." His voice light and teasing. "You are probably more like your mother than you let on."

"I don't think Shuten doji would agree with you." She matched his tone.

"Feh… Shuten is an ass… he speaks when he should not and never says the right thing when he does." Anubis' sourly spoken analogy made her snicker. "Old habits are difficult to break I suppose, even for him."

Yuki shivered as the cool autumn breeze cut through her still damp tee shirt, the warmth that her jog had provided her was now gone. Her teeth chattering she looked back in the direction of the house before turning to face Anubis again.

"Would you like to come back to the house?" She asked.

He smiled and shook his head.

"No, but thank you." He spoke softly. "I think I'll stay here and visit a little longer."

She nodded, then bowed slightly before turning away and running back the same route she had come, leaving Anubis to stare after her until she was out of sight then he turned back to the three ominous stones, unnaturally upright in the earth.

_Leave it to you two to produce such a child._ He thought silently and could almost see their smiles reflecting his own.

It wasn't long before Yuki had the chance to see Anubis again, as well as Shuten doji, Naaza, her uncles and their children. In fact as it turned out they soon became near permanent fixtures, her uncles and the others seemed to have a great deal to talk about. Training in the dojo resumed making her father's absence even more pronounced than before, Yuki did as she believed he would have wished however, listening to Ryo, Touma and even Shuten doji's instructions. She had even invited Anubis into the dojo to spar with her and help her with techniques once she had discovered that, like her father, he too wielded a sword very well. 

In the three weeks that followed the dojo became her only solace, often sneaking off to train relentlessly in the middle of the night, working through her overwrought emotions until she was simply too exhausted to think anymore. It seemed that as of late every shortcoming, every weakness and every flaw in her character was displayed and exploited for everyone to see. As much as she tried to avoid Shuten, to reveal nothing but stoic silence and politeness around him, he somehow managed, without ever uttering a word to show her at her worse to everyone.

Her continued lateness in rising each morning was noted with direct exposure when she had slept in and he had insisted breakfast be held for her. No one was allowed to so much as nibble one bite of their food until she managed to present herself at the table, it happened only twice and she had felt so guilty that she had dutifully shown up at the same time as everyone else. Her appearance often left a great deal to be desired and that too was duly noted, bloodshot eyes, hair in disarray and hastily donned, crumpled clothing but she had made sure no one was kept waiting. Not long after, her foul mouth and hot-headed temper was also revealed to its greatest disadvantage, once Shin had gotten a taste of the awful meals Touma had subjected them to he had taken over the planning of the meals, often cooking them himself. However, he was not always available to cook and so they each took turns.

She and Hiko were stuck making tempura one night for the entire household and it was bad enough that they all learned she couldn't cook but to make matters worse, she'd grown increasingly frustrated at her continued mistakes, not cooking it enough or cooking it far too much. She blew up when everyone laughed at her ineptitude when Hiko didn't have any problems with it and then she let loose a stream of curse words that could easily offend even the worst of truck drivers when she burnt her hand on the wok. Catching Shuten's raised eyebrows and discerning frown at every turn, every mistake, and every show of her unrefined character. 

And now here she was, sparring with her little brother while Shuten and Anubis, as well as Touma, Sayuri and Shiro all lined against the walls, watching, waiting for her to make a mistake, to show her faults, to laugh at her once more. She watched through her mask, sizing up her brother, noticing the small changes in him since he'd turned fifteen months ago. He was getting taller and stronger, soon there would be nothing left of her little brother, a young man will have replaced him, she turned toward Ryo when he asked if they were ready, waiting for his hand to drop, her eyes shifted over to Shuten briefly, noticed the determination in his eyes. The determination to see her fail, to exploit her shortcomings even in this. Never! In this she had no faults, in this she was perfect and she would show everyone… Ryo's hand dropped and she wasted little time, tagging Hiko time after time, dodging his attempts to hit her. She heard Shuten's voice above the battle 'Concentrate Toyohiko, you are better than this.'

She did not know why it grated on her already overwrought nerves to hear him cheer her brother on when there was no compliment, no praise, nothing for her. Exhausted and beaten down she allowed anger to surge through her, anger that found an outlet in her unprotected younger brother who was coming at her, weapon raised over his right shoulder to strike. She waited patiently, eyes narrowing and a small smile appearing on her mouth, _she would show them all_. Shifting her left leg back to give her better striking power; she drove her bokken straight into his chest, sending him flying back and landing on his rear, gasping and clutching at the point where she struck him.

"Shiroto da! Get up!" She shouted at him, her voice growing quieter with each word but still loud and abrasive enough for everyone to hear. "Our father would've never made a mistake like that at fifteen… and you would have never made a mistake like that if he were still alive."

"Yuki!" Ryo shouted angrily and she turned to look at him sharply. The look in his eyes was enough to remind her of the boundaries she had overstepped; he was angry and disappointed.

She gasped as the realization hit her, eyes widening as she scanned the faces of the others, her uncles and those who were her friends. Even Sayuri's eyes were narrowed in disapproval as she met them and Yuki could not help but feel shame as she looked back at her brother.

"Hiko… Hiko-kun… I'm so sorry." She pleaded with him, shaking her head.

"'S okay Oneesan." He made light of her comments as he slowly climbed to his feet.

She continued to shake her head, knowing that it was not okay, that what she'd said and done was completely un-called for, disrespectful and hurtful.

"No… no, I should never have said those things." She stepped back as he moved closer. "I had no right to talk to you…"

Yuki's eyes met Shuten doji's over the top of her brother's head, they were filled with what she could only recognize as disappointing sadness and that was unbearable. Hatred, anger and disdain she could take from him, from anyone, but this… this bordered on pity and that she could not take, not from anyone but especially not from him.

'Please forgive me 'niichan." She whispered, lowering her eyes to her brothers and then down to the bokken she only then remembered that she was still holding. Her father's bokken… fearing her actions might have tainted it somehow she dropped it. "I'm so very sorry… Please forgive me."

Hiko watched his older sister's wide-eyed gaze drift down to the bokken she still held in her right hand and was startled when she dropped it as if it had burned her. She backed up, toward the garden all the while still muttering her apologies and he merely followed, his hand out wanting, begging her not to leave.

"Oneesan." He pleaded following her. "It's okay… Please, don't leave."

She merely shook her head and continued backing away from him.

"I'll try harder Oneesan." He continued pleading with her. "Please… just don't leave."

This only seemed to spur her on as she slid open the shoji door, turned and ran through their mother's garden and beyond, disappearing into the woods, the chill of the cold afternoon following behind her. Hiko started to head out after her when the light touch of a strong hand rest on his shoulder.

"Let her be Toyohiko." Shuten's voice halted him in his steps. "She will not take comfort from anyone in this."

Hiko wished he could be angry at what his sister had said to him, however, the truth is, she was right. As unjust and hurtful and as much as he knew that she did not really mean them, she was not far from the truth. His father would never have made such a mistake at ten, let alone at fifteen and he would never have made such a mistake if his father were still alive. 

He'd been such a baby since his parent's death, crying and requiring so much attention from everyone that he knew; he should be ashamed of himself. He'd just been so frightened when they'd first died, frightened that soon Yuki would be gone, as well as Ryo-ojisan and Touma-ojisan and also Sayuri-san. He could not bear thinking of anything bad happening to her, to any of them… still he should have shouldered more of the grief, more of the burden of his mother and father leaving them. It had been far too easy to let Yuki do it, to let her hold him when he cried in the night, losing sleep because he could not find sleep or comfort without her. To let her accept all of the condolences offered by those who also mourned their parents, sheltering him against any unwanted attention, sympathetic or otherwise. To let her take on the role of protector, growing harder to keep him safe from anything that would disturb his oversensitive disposition. Each time she'd taken the brunt of Shuten's contemptuous looks for showing up late, or the scornful rolling of his eyes as she cursed out loud and even just now. When she had hit him with that bokken and sent him sprawling onto the floor then shouted at him, belittled him in front of others only to bring the derision on herself. He had deserved it all… it was his nightmares, his tears that kept her up all night. He cowered behind her when business that he did not want to face arose and the hard, outer shell that she revealed to the world behind her piercing eyes and foul mouth was merely in retaliation to the pain. She wanted to be strong for him, so that he wouldn't have to, so that he wouldn't feel the pain that she felt, so that she could spare him some of that which she knew was there. 

_I'm so very sorry Oneesan_. His thoughts silently repeating the words she had only a moment ago said to him. _Please forgive me._

"They seem so troubled." A masculine voice drifted throughout the vast emptiness of that which had no boundaries. "Do you think we could talk to them, just once?"

"We really should not interfere." Came the sympathetic reply of the woman who stood with him, her arms wrapped comfortingly around his waist, her cheek against his shoulder as she too watched with troubled eyes. 

"I'm worried about them." His brow drawing together as his frown deepened. 

"It's natural for you to worry about them, you're their father." She chuckled and he turned to look at her, eyes narrowing at the gleam in her eye. "You warrior types… I swear, all tough and mean on the outside but inside, you're as soft as marshmallow."

He smiled and kissed her, not denying a word of it.

"There is one person I can ask to help them through this." She suggested lightly watching his smile disappear, as he knew exactly whom she was referring to. "I've been wanting to ask him about this gift of our son's anyhow."

"That arrogant ass?" He scoffed. "I would prefer that he not get involved any more with our children than he already has."

"Are you the one who's been planting those words in our daughter's head?" She asked him, incredulous, glaring at him as he tried to hide a smile. 

"She doesn't need my help in that arena." He no longer tried to hide his humor, she continued to glare at him and he turned back to the view of his children. "I'll admit, he has helped our son a great deal. He seems to be rather hard on her though, are you certain what you told me is true?"

"Very certain." She answered without hesitation then added with a smile. "Even if that arrogant ass doesn't realize it yet."

Clear laughter rang out, filling the vast emptiness with its pure sound, raising the heads of others, making them smile at the sound of something they had long forgotten, something they only just then, remembered. Things had certainly gotten interesting since those two had come.

Shuten had no trouble finding sleep once he lay back on the soft futon that had become his bed for the last two months or so. He could never get the time flow right when he was in the Ningenkai; it played tricks on him in a way that he found unnerving. The Youjukai had no sense of time; it passed so slowly in relation to this place. Remarkably enough he found that he was dreaming, remarkable in the sense that it happened so seldom in the four-hundred plus years that he'd been alive and remarkable also in that he was conscious of it while it was happening. 

It was odd to be standing in such stark whiteness, no discernible horizon, no up or down, just empty whiteness. He could hear his name being called and tried to get a fix on where it was coming from, when he thought he had it he would turn only to be confronted by more vast whiteness. He was startled when he heard the voice clearly behind him, not simply because it was such close proximity but because of who he believed the voice belonged to. Turning he was surprised to find Nasuti standing, serene and beautiful, smiling up at him. Her appearance was not what he knew it to be at the time of her death, rather it was the way she had looked when she'd still been in the Youjukai, forever young and beautiful; her hair was long and hung loose around her shoulders, her face was still unmarked by the small lines of time. 

"My lady." He whispered in wonder, his hand lifting to brush his fingers lightly across her cheek. "Am I still dreaming?"

"Of course you are Shuten." Her soft musical voice drifting around him, her smile warming him. "How else could you see or hear me?"

Shuten smiled, ran his fingers through her hair briefly before tucking it behind her ear and lowering his hand. He noticed the landscape behind her had changed, there seemed to be a structure of some kind, a house maybe, he could not be sure. He turned his attention back to the woman in front of him.

"What is this place?" He asked quietly. "Why have you brought me here?"

"For me, this place is home." She explained, reminding him that she was indeed gone from the existence that he knew. "I brought you here to talk."

"Ahh." He nodded, eyeing her suspiciously.

"I would like to thank you for all that you have done for Hiko. You have helped him a great deal Shuten."

He waited silently for her to continue.

"Tell me, what is the gift that you have given him, the one he keeps with him?"

"How?" He whispered in disbelief, his eyes growing wide in surprise as he watched her lips curve up in a knowing smile.

"Hiko still talks to us nearly everyday Shuten." She explained as if indulging a small child. "We can still hear him and see him, you being of the Youjukai should realize the possibility of this."

Shuten nodded, clearly seeing that it was indeed possible, had he not watched her, had he not listened to her and when she had stopped talking to him, had he not watched her children, listened to her children. 

"Something meant to be his, nothing more." He told her, reverting to his vague explanations that he'd learned from so many years in Arago's service.

He was startled and winced in pain as she reached up and painfully yanked on his hair, making him suddenly very sorry that he had tried to pull something so beneath him on her. 

"Don't you try that crap on me Shuten doji!" She spoke through clenched teeth, yanking again at the lock of hair held firmly in her death grip. "I know it's not Korin, all the other yori have been bestowed, now you tell me… what have you given my son?"

My son… the words rang through his head, signaling with crystal clarity that she was indeed another person than the one he once knew. A mother of two children not his and the wife of someone other than himself. He had seen her many times with her family through the portal between their worlds, he knew of all of this; still it was strange to have her before him, her voice whispering the words… my son. Not painful, simply… strange.

"I am sorry. She released his hair and waited for him to continue. "As you say, it is not Korin; your husband has probably told you on whom that has been bestowed."

She merely nodded her head once in acknowledgment then waited again for him to continue. He sighed heavily and did as she requested. 

"There is another armor that has yet to be bestowed and it is this that I have given to Toyohiko." He was wary of telling her and was certain she could sense it, hear it in his voice. "It has chosen him to bear it."

"An undiscovered yori?" She whispered in wonder. "How can this be Shuten?"

"Not undiscovered my lady." He paused trying to think of how he could say what he knew she would not want to hear, then decided that being straight forward was best with her. "It is Nin."

"Nin? Endurance?" Her brows coming together in a frown then lifting as her eyes widened in surprise, pressing her fingers to her mouth as she gasped. "Rajura's?"

"Hai." He nodded and she was silent for several minutes, he watched the gamut of emotions chase across her face, worry being the most prominent.

"Shuten." She clasped his hands in her own. "You must promise me something."

"Anything." He smiled at her, his fingers closing around her own. "All you need do is ask."

"Please, watch over him." Fear and desperation rang clearly in her voice. "Please Shuten."

"My lady." He pulled her against him, his arms wrapping firmly about her in a comforting embrace; one hand stroked her hair. "Do not upset yourself so, Toyohiko is a strong young man whose innocent ideals will not easily be corrupted."

He felt the slow nod of her head under his chin and smiled at her as she pulled back and looked up at him.

"I worry less about Yuki." She offered and Shuten tried to keep his lip from curling in irritation at the mere mention of her daughter. "Most people only see her as some sort of fragile beauty but she also possesses great strength and honor."

"Toyohiko's sister is…" He sighed as he tried to think of something nice to say about her daughter. "uh… very protective."

"That was rather grudging praise." She teased and he smiled, realizing that she knew full well what her daughter was like and most likely what she'd been subjecting him to. 

"She has one of the foulest mouths and worse tempers I've ever encountered." He admitted with irritation. "She's a… a brat. She and her brother are like night and day!"

"She takes after her father." Nasuti placed all blame of her daughter's flaws on her husband and Shuten could not help but smile at her humor. 

"She is surprisingly beautiful, considering she looks so much like her father." Shuten conceded a small token of praise for Nasuti's sake. He lifted his hand to brush her cheek with his fingers once again, letting them drift into her hair once more, all except her hair, Konoyuki's hair was exactly like this and he could almost believe he was touching hers as he touched her mother's. What the hell? He was mixing things up, no wonder he rarely dreamed they never made any sense. Shaking his head Shuten tried to get back to the subject. "I am certain your husband must be wondering where you are, ne?"

"No." She laughed.

"No?" He raised his eyebrows, not believing that to be true for a moment.

"You don't think he would send me unaccompanied do you?" She turned and lifted her hand, palm up in indication behind her. Shuten squinted at the doorway in the horizon, he could see a small speck but could not tell what it was and suddenly, so quick that it startled Shuten, Korin no Seiji was there, not five feet behind his wife. 

"Shuten." The other man greeted quietly, nodding his head slightly, not moving any closer.

Shuten smiled wickedly, his eyes narrowing as his fingers still held a lock of Nasuti's hair, the other man had noted it with displeasure but made no move to say or do anything about it.

__

Surprising. Thought Shuten, deciding he wanted to torment the former Trooper; he lifted the silken strands of hair intent on brushing them against his cheek only to have them suddenly gone from his grasp. Shuten lifted his head to see Korin no Seiji standing next to his wife, the lock of hair now in his own hand.

"Lurking in the shadows? Eavesdropping? Don't you trust your wife?" Shuten jibed at his former enemy. "That is not a good basis for marriage Korin."

"I trust my _wife_ implicitly." He interjected smoothly. "It's you I do not trust." 

"You two, I swear!" Nasuti scolded them, pulling her hair from her husband's grasp and tucking it behind her ear, shaking her head. "Barbarians!"

They both lowered their eyes, grinning sheepishly. Shuten noticed how Nasuti smiled knowingly at her husband before placing her hand in his. Such a simple gesture yet it was filled with such intimacy that Shuten had the odd sense of feeling like a voyeur. 

"Come Nasuti." Seiji pulled at his wife's hand, leading her away. Shuten could only watch as they moved toward the house on the horizon. Everything was quickly turning white again and Shuten could barely make out their silhouette in the whiteness. 

"Remember your promise Shuten." Nasuti's clear voice rang out in the emptiness, followed quickly by that of her husband's 'and remember what you said about our daughter.'

Their stark whiteness faded, as did the sound of their voices, only to be replaced by a new sound, quieter although no less compelling than Nasuti's voice had been. He recognized the sound, it was something he'd grown used to and it lulled him out of the dream world into that of the waking. Sitting up, Shuten concentrated and confirmed that what he heard was crying, the sobbing of the young boy down the hall, a young boy who's parents had been taken from him, stolen away by death, leaving him to fight with grief alone.

He lay and listened to Toyohiko's sobs, feeling that he should do something for him but knowing that just as it always did, the sobbing would subside. Toyohiko would move beyond his tears, he would cry for a while and then drift off to sleep, just as he did every night that Shuten lay awake to listen to him. Tonight was different however, his sister's harsh words had affected him deeply, he'd been withdrawn for the rest of the day and the fact that she did not return had only served to upset him further. 

"Selfish girl!" Shuten muttered as he flung back the blanket covering him and left the comfort of his bed to make his way down the hall. He was almost to the boy's bedroom door when he caught sight of Konoyuki standing on the stairs, the cries of her brother also catching her ears. He thought she was going to ignore her brother and continue down the stairs when she stepped back onto the platform and made her way to her brothers room, slipping inside without noticing Shuten's presence nearby. Not trusting her completely after her outburst earlier Shuten moved to stand next to the open shoji and listened.

Exhausted, hungry and shivering from the cold Yuki climbed the stairs to her bedroom. Winter had indeed set in and she was now feeling the effects of being improperly dressed for it, having dashed out of the dojo and into the woods where she sat and berated herself repeatedly for hurting the one person she most wanted to avoid getting hurt. Her anger at herself had served to keep her warm for a time, even after the sun had set and after that meditation had provided her the means to ignore the cold. As the night progressed however, even those lessons she'd learned from her father could not hold back the chill that seeped through her inadequate hakama and she had made her way, slowly, back to the house. 

Thankfully it was dark and quiet, everyone having gone to his or her beds long ago. She had no wish to face anyone after what she had done; she had no wish to see the disdain in their eyes even though she knew she deserved it.

Sliding back the shoji door to her room Yuki stepped in and without bothering to turn on the lights headed straight for the bath. Turning on the water in her shower and allowing it to warm while she stripped the mud stained clothing from her weary body and dropped them into the laundry bin. The warm spray felt scalding against her chilled skin when she first stood underneath, it soon turned soothing as she let it run over her and wash all of the grime and tension from her, sending it swirling down the drain with the water that carried it. 

Later she sat on the corner of her bed, dressed in sweatpants and shirt she ran a comb through her chestnut tresses she smiled, thanking whatever gods had control over such things that she had inherited her mother's hair. She'd always taken a certain pride in that small vanity. She remembered as a child how she would smile proudly when people mentioned it, how her father would tease that he could not tell them apart because their hair was the same color and length. She remembered how she had cried when a year or so after Hiko was born her mother had cut her long tresses to just below her chin. She had hated her infant brother, her four-year old rationality concluding that it was entirely his fault that their mother had to cut her hair. She had seen in her father's eyes that he wanted to cry as well when she cut it, remembering Touma-ojisan and Sakura-obasan sitting at the kitchen table with her parents, she'd been sitting nearby folding paper when Touma-ojisan's voice began teasing her mother…

"…It looks as though Ryo's katana managed to get all of your hair this time Nasuti." Touma and her mother laughed, Sakura chuckled but her father had remained silent. Yuki had looked up, her father's silence tangible within the room and she had seen that his eyes held no humor that his lips merely curled up at the corners in that smile that he displayed merely out of politeness. Her eyes shifted and watched her mother grow concerned at her father's silence, leaned closer to him, her hand had covered his and she had whispered to him 'that was a long time ago Seiji.'

Yuki had climbed to her feet and moved closer to the table, watching with eyes that were mesmerized by what was happening between her parents. Her father's smile did not change as he nodded in agreement with her mother.

"A long time ago, yes." He spoke softly. "Still, it's not a day I care to be reminded of."

What had happened on that day? Had Ryo cut her hair and her father been mad at him, just as she was mad at Hiko? Yuki had never seen her father look this way and it was unnerving to think of him as… vulnerable? Yuki had wrapped her small arms around his thigh and held him, she felt his hand on her back, his lips on her hair before he unwound her arms and lifted her in his lap, their eyes meeting as he held her.

"Konoyuki, dooshite?" He asked her what was wrong.

"Don't cry, Otousan." She had pat his cheek with her small hand, her eyes so like his own never wavering. "When you miss Okaasan's hair you can look at mine. It's the same, ne Otousan?" 

She remembered her father's searching gaze boring into hers for several silent moments before his hands at her back pulled her against his warm chest, his lips had brushed her hair once more.

"It is indeed the same." He'd whispered in her ear. "Arigato, Konoyuki-chan."

Yuki's strokes with the comb slowed and then stilled and she closed her eyes against the burning of tears, swallowing hard to remove the lump in her throat. _I'm so weak_. She thought as the overwhelming pain began to constrict her chest and she took slow, deep breaths to try to relieve the feeling, to move past it. Opening her eyes she caught sight of herself in the mirror through the doorway to her bathroom, her weakness was evident and this served to make her angry. If it was evident to her, it was evident to others and that was something she would not show. She flung the comb at her reflection; it hit its target then bounced off the glass surface to land on the tile floor. She hastily pulled her hair back and fastened it high on her head with the band she had in her lap. Suddenly full of energy that needed to be burned off before she could get any sleep, Yuki climbed to her feet and headed out the door, sliding it shut behind her as quietly as she could she stepped toward the stairs once more only to stop. A familiar sound catching her attention she turned back, her eyes settled on her brother's bedroom door near her own. 

She thought of ignoring his quiet cries for the first time, too ashamed to face him and worried that after today, he may not wish for her to comfort him. Biting her lip she made to continue walking down the steps and turned back before taking even one. Opening the door with hesitation she peered inside and could see Hiko's slight frame curled into a protective ball on his bed, his hands fisted and pressed against his eyes as he cried. Her uneasiness forgotten she stepped into his room and made her way to his side, she hated seeing him like this although she'd grown used to it over the months since her parents died. Every day he put on a brave front for everyone, no longer crying at the mention of his parent's names or a reminder of their absence but here, each night she would find him like this. 

"Hiko-kun." Yuki called his name softly as she sat on the edge of his bed, reaching out she stroked his golden hair back from his face. "Hiko-kun."

"Okaasan?" Came his broken whisper through his tears as he turned to face her.

"No Hiko." She told him sadly, brushing back his hair again to reveal his sorrowful eyes gazing up at her. "It's Yuki."

He stared up at her in confusion for several minutes then; as sleep subsided recognition soon filtered into his eyes.

"Oneesan." He whispered and she felt a stab in her heart at the wariness that appeared in his eyes. "You came back."

"I'm sorry 'niichan." She apologized quietly. "I'm sorry for saying those things to you, I'm sorry for running out on you. I'm not a very good sister, am I?"

"I could not ask for a better sister." He sat up and leaned his head on her shoulder and she wrapped her arms around him and lay back. "I've been such a baby, you have shouldered everything for me… but I'm done being a baby, I'm going to be strong from now on."

"'Niichan…" She sighed. "You're already stronger than you realize and… I never thought you were a baby."

"How can you say that Oneesan?" He asked incredulous. "Every night since… since… every night you come in here and stay until I stop crying. I know you're not getting any sleep. Any time that something unpleasant arises, any time there's an intrusion on my happiness, my peace of mind I hide behind you. I know you're not mean, I know you're not hateful but I say nothing when I hear the whispers of others accusing you of it while praising me for my fortitude at bearing such a tragedy so well."

"'Niichan." She interjected. "Let them think and say what they want, I only care that you are not hurt."

"I care!" Hiko surprised her by raising his voice further than it had ever gone before; still it was hardly loud enough to wake the house. He mumbled an apology before continuing. "You watch, I'll become stronger even than Otousan, even than Ryo-ojisan and Shuten doji-san."

"Please." She scoffed at being compared to Shuten doji. "I'm stronger than that as… uh, than him."

"Honto ka?" Hiko turned in her embrace to look up at her face. "He's pretty strong."

"Feh." She dismissed his comment with a sneer.

Hiko stared at her silently for several moments then a slow smile appeared on his face.

"You don't like Shuten doji-san very much." He stated.

"It doesn't matter if I like him or not 'niichan." She tried to be neutral knowing how her brother felt about the man who grated on her nerves so. "You like him, that's all I care about."

"I know." He yawned and settled his head back against her shoulder. "I feel like a traitor though."

"Don't." She assured him. "I would never think you are a traitor because of it."

"Okaasan told me that there's always one thing that you can find to like about someone." He yawned several times before finishing and Yuki knew he was half asleep already.

"Okaasan could find something to like about a rabid dog." Yuki interjected sarcastically.

"Can you find one thing to like about Shuten doji-san?" Hiko nearly begged his sister.

"hmmm…" She gave it serious thought, anything to please her brother; a picture of Shuten doji came to mind and she knew, there was one thing that she could not deny she liked. "His hair. He has the most beautiful hair I've ever seen."

"I like Sayuri-san's hair." He mumbled sleepily.

"You like everything about Sayuri." She teased lightly.

She felt the negative shake of his head against her arm and looked down at him surprised.

"She cooks like Touma-ojisan." He yawned, his eyes opening to look up at her. "It's terrible."

"You'd better not tell her that." Yuki laughed and he cracked a sleepy but knowing smile at her.

"I wont." He promised. "Naaza-san and Anubis-san told me, Shiro and Shuten doji-san never to tell a girl we don't like her cooking. Especially if we like the girl." 

"I think that's probably good advice." She chuckled again.

"Shuten doji-san didn't tell you he didn't like your cooking." Hiko remarked absently. "He must like you."

"Hiko…" She warned.

"Your cooking is pretty bad." He whispered.

"Grrrrr… oyasumi, Hiko!" She growled.

"Oyasumi nasai, Oneesan." He was asleep in moments.

Japanese words

Shiroto da - Amateur!

Oyasumi nasai - goodnight

Honto ka? - Really?


	3. Learn to Love the Pain you Feel

This chapter has been revised, I've finished off the ending, actually I changed it completely and corrected a few things that I was not happy with. There are not drastic changes in the chapter other than the ending.

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Somehow, life although it changes and never returns to what it once was, settles into some semblance of normalcy, or at least a close substitute for it. Yuki and her brother returned to their normal or all that was left of their normal lives after their parent's death. The university was close to breaking for the summer months and Yuki could not be happier about it, although the thought of her long unwanted house guests, one in particular, she didn't know why she would be so anxious for school to be out. That would simply mean she would have that much more time to occupy with things that she could do just to avoid further contact with Shuten doji than was necessary.

Yuki was struck by the odd sort of urgency that seemed to be in the air, her uncles were more often at her house than not, Touma of course was still a permanent resident with his wife and daughter. Shuten doji, Anubis and Naaza seemed to put a great emphasis on all of them learning or bettering what they had already learned, it seemed as if they were preparing for war. As their training continued, Yuki watched with awe the strength and improvement her brother showed in just a few short months, he still practiced kendo with her but he had begun experimenting with other weapons. She frowned upon it at first, as her father's style had always prevailed in their family but she had soon grown used to it and also realized the importance of having varied weapon skills. Even she, at the suggestion of Anubis had taken on learning something different, although her first love would always be kendo she was becoming quite adept at handling knives. After Anubis told her of her mother's interest and expertise in using two tanto, Yuki had asked that he teach her. Not bothering to ask how it was that one of his age had shown her mother, twenty some years older than him, how to use one. Anubis also proved useful in kendo practice, as he was an expert himself. She enjoyed his company a great deal, he had an easy, friendly attitude that she could not help but like and they would often hole themselves in the dojo for hours, much to the complaint of everyone else who wanted to use it. 

Hiko, true to his word was no longer found crying in the night, when he wasn't at school he was training with Shuten doji or herself, when he was in bed he slept and Yuki could not help but be proud of him. However, not wholly unlike the urgency she could feel from the others, she could feel urgency from him as well. The drive to become better, stronger and more powerful was pushing him beyond anything she had witnessed in him before, he'd grown serious and she often missed the shy innocence of her sensitive younger brother. From time to time, just to make sure he was still there under all that muscle and serious attitude she and Sayuri would tease him relentlessly, offering to rub his muscles or tell him how sexy he looked in his tight tee shirts. He would blush red as a strawberry and they would laugh and tease him further, until unable to bear it any longer he would tear from the room and not come back until he was certain they were no longer present. Shuten doji was rather shocked at their behavior, calling them evil temptresses who should find something better to do with their time than attempt to corrupt honorable young men. Yuki, unable to resist such an open invitation to throw a jibe at him had in turn accused him of being jealous because she and Sayuri had not paid any attention to him, to which Anubis and Naaza roared with laughter much to Shuten's horror.

Smiling at the memory, Yuki pulled her small car into the parking lot of the high school, waiting for her brother to be dismissed so they could drive home together. She had not been there long when a car pulled up alongside her and a familiar face pressed itself against the glass of the passenger side. She stared, completely disgusted by the vulgar face until she realized it was Sayuri sitting in the passenger side of Makoto Fuan's new car and then laughed. Pressing the button to roll down the electric window in her car, she waited while Sayuri did the same, Makoto leaning over to talk.

"Oi!" He waved with a smile Yuki waved back. "You here to pick up Hiko-kun?"

She nodded.

"I'm picking up my sister." He informed her, blasting out Sayuri's ears as he shouted next to her. "I'm supposed to meet up with 'tousan at your house. Sayuri and I were talking about going out tonight, do you want to join us?"

"I told Hiko that I would do something with him." She shook her head and laughed as he pouted. "You should have told me in class that you had to pick up your sister, I could just as easily have driven her to my house."

"'Tousan has tickets for one of the clubs." He told her. "I need to get them from him before we go out. He's got four of them, maybe Hiko-kun will want to go with us."

"You can ask." She shrugged her shoulders doubting that her shy younger brother would do anything so bold as to accompany the three of them to a club. She turned her attention to the girl in the passenger seat that was cringing at Makoto's closeness. "Sayuri, do you want to ride with me?"

She couldn't climb out of Makoto's car fast enough, much to his distress; the two girls sat in Yuki's small car laughing at their friend. She had to admit that she missed these times with her friends, never able to revert to her once carefree attitude after her parent's death. The pain was always there, the tears hidden just beneath the laughter and the smile in her eyes was most often forced into remaining long after the desire to smile had abandoned her. She was learning or rather she had learned to reveal nothing of the pain she felt, her anger which had become so common place in the beginning had faded, locked down tight along with her tears and pain. Her brother wanted her happy and so she would show him happiness, she would show the world happiness for him and for herself. It was the only means she had for dealing with the pain and it had gotten easier. Most times, to maintain her false bravado she refused to think of her parents, hiding their photographs away where she could not see them, not mentioning their names and leaving the room when others mentioned them. 

Maybe she should go out, bring Hiko with her, she could certainly coax him into going. Yes, she would try to convince him, they both needed to lighten up and they both needed to get away from that stodgy Shuten doji.

The night was actually fun and Yuki found that she could laugh and smile without the effort of pretending to. They all danced on the floor together, even Hiko, less inhibited than usual joined them on the dance floor after Sayuri pouted at him for leaving her without a partner. The loud music and flashing lights had been quite a shock when they first stepped in, Makoto bought each of them a drink, she and Hiko turning down any offers of alcohol merely sipped soda, Makoto then proceeded to buy himself several drinks.

When they had tired of the dance floor they found a booth to sit in and chat, two boys who had tried to put moves on Yuki and Sayuri on the dance floor hadn't been rejected enough and decided to badger them into a dance while at the table. They both politely refused. The boys were not taking the hint, one of them going so far as to grab Sayuri by the wrist attempting to pull her from her seat which set Hiko on his feet with a warning to take the hint and leave them alone. 

This apparently only served to make their alcohol-induced bravery expand even further as one of them grabbed the front of Hiko's shirt, fisting the loose fabric into a knot. Yuki could see the turmoil behind his eyes, wanting to knock the hell out of them but the self-restraint so ingrained in him by their father forbade any retaliation. When one of them made a rather rude comment Yuki was certain Hiko was about to lose it, she could see his hands trembling and decided to step in. She touched him gently on the arm and he turned, catching her eye in which he could read clearly that she thought it best that he not do anything. 

"Excuse me." She spoke calmly; placing a hand over the stranger's still fisted in her brother's shirt, placing herself between the two of them. "We are actually tired from all the dancing and were about to leave. Why don't you take our booth since we won't be needing it any longer?"

This earned her a blank stare accompanied by a slack mouth and soon followed by a confused thank you. She smiled her most captivating at both of them and then motioned for Makoto to come along. Slow to catch up, Makoto merely stared back confused, much as the two strangers did, for several minutes before happily climbing to his feet to follow along with Hiko behind her and Sayuri already planning on what they could get their uncle to cook for them at his family's restaurant. 

The peace created by Yuki did not last long as those who have consumed too much alcohol soon become beyond the point of reason and the two boys failed to acknowledge the favor she had done them and came back for more. This time, when one of them slipped an arm around Sayuri's waist and pulled her against him Yuki was unable to prevent Hiko from stepping in, nearly twisting the guys arm off and shoving him into the crowd surrounding the dance floor. This unfortunately set off a sequence of events that resulted in the entire club erupting into a brawl. The four of them bolted for the door but were trapped by the wave of people also heading in the same direction, they were careful to evade any confrontation with anyone, that is until some guy elbowed Makoto in the eye. After staggering back a few steps and taking a moment or two to realize what had actually happened to him, Makoto retaliated. 

Yuki could see that Hiko wanted to join in but this was not the time, he was under age after all and she was responsible, placing a hand on his shoulder she spun him around and forced him through the crowd and out the door. Sayuri held onto her other hand until they made it clear of the club and into the cool night air. Yuki sent them both to the car and then went back to get Makoto, unfortunately any efforts to get closer to the door were halted with the arrival of the police.

"Shimatta!" She muttered turning away, knowing that Makoto would be carted off to the police station and it would now be up to her to clean up this mess. She would have to call and let Touma know what happened and that she would go to the police station and clear things up. She smiled, she had not been to the police station in a long time, and it would be nice to see some of those old guys her grandfather once worked with.

"What is this place?" Shuten asked Touma as the vehicle pulled up to a towering building.

"The Keishicho." Touma answered absently.

Shuten turned his sharp gaze on the former Trooper, one eyebrow raised in question. Touma, catching on after a moment or two explained further. "The police station."

Both eyebrows shot up as Shuten's eyes widened in surprise. _They had been arrested?_ He wondered, then could feel anger building at the likelihood of Toyohiko simply following along with whatever his over-idolized sister did for entertainment.

__

Damn her. He growled silently.

"There's Hiko-kun." Touma pointed ahead, his arm dropping as his eyebrows came together in a frown. "And… there's… Makoto."

Shuten's eyes narrowed on the figure of Toyohiko shouldering the much larger, staggering Makoto toward the car that Shuten recognized as belonging to Yuki.

"I'll go talk to him." Shuten offered and climbed out of the car, leaving Touma to shrug his shoulders and relax back in the seat. Shuten scanned the area for the two girls, wondering where they were as he approached Toyohiko, who looked up startled when Shuten's foot scraped a small rock. He noticed the boy's eyes widening in surprise and then fill with guilt at Shuten's obvious disappointment in tonight's outcome. 

"Are you all right Toyohiko?" When the boy nodded Shuten turned his eyes on the boy who was leaning against him, noticing his swollen eye. "What about him?"

"He'll be all right." Hiko shifted under the other boy's shoulder then reached for the door handle. Shuten moved to open the door for him then stepped aside as Hiko helped the young man climb into the back of the car and collapsed in the seat.

"Where's your sister?" Shuten nearly barked. _I'm finding it difficult to maintain my anger with the mention of that damnable girl._

"She's inside with Sayuri-san." Hiko told him, his eyes narrowed curiously at Shuten's tone. 

__

No doubt trying to clean up the mess she made. Shuten thought bitterly, automatically assuming that it was she who caused the entire thing. Touma might be handling the entire thing nonchalantly but her dragging her brother into it was enough to set him off.

"What happened Toyohiko?" Shuten asked trying to calm down, trying to disprove his assumption that it was all Konoyuki's fault.

"Well…" He began hesitantly, as if he didn't really want to tell him, giving assurance that Shuten was right and he boy simply didn't want to tell on his sister. "We were at a club, dancing and there were two boys who wouldn't leave Sayuri-san or Oneesan alone."

__

I knew it! His anger building as he latched onto only one word. Oneesan. 

"The boys followed us back to our seats and one of them grabbed Sayuri-san." Hiko's anger was visible at this comment but Shuten was lost in his own and didn't notice. "I stood up and told them to leave but they just grabbed the front of my shirt and threatened me."

"Threatened you?" Shuten asked surprised.

"They had too much to drink, there was no reasoning left in them." Hiko explained. "Oneesan stepped between us and…"

"That's enough Toyohiko." Shuten interrupted him, his anger was boiling over. Not only had she taken her brother out but she had taken him to a place filled with alcohol-induced idiots who acted little better than cavemen. He could see the two faceless boys grabbing at her, putting their hands on her and quickly pushed the vision from his mind. He was furious.

"Wait here." He instructed the boy as he turned toward the building's entrance. "I will be back shortly."

"Shuten doji-san?" He heard Hiko call his name quietly behind him but did not turn around to acknowledge it as he walked to the brightly-lit interior of the police station.

He walked among the many desks, littered with papers; some uniformed officers sat in chairs, talking with others, many that looked as if they had been dragged through the dirt. Ignoring them for the most part he stopped the first person he came upon who was unoccupied and giving asked if they knew where he might find Konoyuki Date, upon earning a strange look he gave a description of the two girls. The blank look continued between the two officers he asked then a light seemed to go off in one of their heads as he cheerfully exclaimed, 'Ah, Yuki-chan! She's at the attendant's desk.' 

It was Shuten's turn for a blank look, not understanding what was meant by the attendant's desk.

"Where they check in the offenders." The officer explained then pointed behind him. "Down the hall and turn left."

__

Offenders? He thought with derision. _She had been incarcerated and apparently this wasn't the first time as they knew her by name, damn her._

Shuten thanked the two men and headed down the hall, he had not yet turned the corner when he heard laughter, first the beguiling, innocent tones of the two girls he knew followed quickly by the chuckle of several males. He ground his teeth when he could hear her laughing again, the soft, bell-like sound ringing out, captivatingly innocent. He knew better though, unlike the unsuspecting fools who now listened to her, Shuten knew that she was trouble for anyone who got near her.

Rounding the corner Shuten was ill prepared for the sight that greeted him; fully expecting her to be behind bars his mouth fell open when he spied both girls sitting atop a desk, surrounded by what must be fifteen uniformed officers. Hanging on the girls' every move, every word, acting little better than schoolboys with a crush, wide-eyed and grinning like lovesick puppies. Not that Shuten was much better. The two of them made a striking pair, Sayuri in her blue dress that matched her hair and eyes, Shuten had always thought her a pretty girl, however next to Konoyuki Date she paled, barely noticeable. His eyes swept over her long, golden-chestnut hair, she was smiling, which is a rarity in itself and only served to make her more lovely and the shimmering, gray of her silky dress only served to brighten her eyes of the same color.

__

She is beautiful. Was his first thought as his eyes roamed her hair, her face and then over her naked shoulders a barely visible strap across each. He snapped out of his daze, eyes drifting over the sea of officers staring open-mouthed at the scantily clad girl in front of them, his anger returning ten-fold as his second thought followed. _What the hell is she doing going out, dressed like that?_

He heard one of the officers mumble something, to which both girls started to giggle, Konoyuki flicked her hair back with a careless hand, openly flirtatious at the sea of young men before her and Shuten could barely keep from growling.

"Now Shindou-san." She purred at him, Shuten's eyes widened at her behavior. "You know I can't do that."

Open laughter resounded throughout the room as the officers laughed a completely captivated audience. Shuten noticed Sayuri's blue shifting in closer to Konoyuki as she whispered in the other girls ear. Konoyuki's eyes lifted and the smile disappeared immediately as she spied him across the room waiting. After whispering something back to other girl she turned her smiling eyes back on the crowd of officers, Sayuri jumped down and made her way toward him.

"You're father is waiting in the car." He told the girl as she approached and barely noticed as she walked past. Shuten's eyes caught by the hands of one of the officers around Konoyuki's small waist, helping her off the desk, he watched her bow to them and turn to the elderly man behind the desk.

"Arigato Captain Himura." She smiled her brightest as she thanked him, then turned and waved casually to the others as she walked toward him. "I promise not to wait so long to visit you again. Ja ne minna-san.

"Ja ne Yuki-chan!" They all shouted as they watched her walk away.

Shuten watched her smile completely disappear as she approached him, the normal scowl she wore in his presence back in place, serving only to anger him further. Once she got within reaching distance he grabbed hold of her upper arm and hauled her down the hallway and toward the exit.

"Hey!" She complained to deaf ears. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Let go of me!"

Once outside and near her car he spun her around and gave her a slight shake, he noticed Toyohiko helping Sayuri into Touma's car, he straightened as he closed the door and was now watching the two of them. Good, let him see me set down his sister, let me point out the poor example she is setting for him, how weak and corrupt she is, letting that officer touch her, those boys in the club… how dare she!

"What do you think you're doing Konoyuki?" He demanded of her, his voice loud enough to let the others hear. "Getting into trouble with the police, how could you be so reckless?"

Yuki could only see red; her anger building as it had not done so in quite some time as she'd fought to maintain it for all these months. Her eyes narrowed on the hated man before her, she pulled on her arm again but his grip merely tightened, bruising but she barely felt it through her anger.

"I have handled my own problems long before you came here Shuten doji-san." Her voice, cool as ice and deceptively calm. "I certainly don't need you to baby sit me."

"I can see very well how you handle your problems, flaunting your half naked body at those officers to avoid being arrested." He sneered at her. "What sort of message are you sending to your brother, running around, dressed like a harlot."

She inhaled sharply at his harsh words, she knew the words were not true but still they pierced at all her insecurities, her weaknesses and she was so ashamed of that weakness. There was something to be said for pain though, it was the driving force behind all that she did, all that she had become, lost in the anger that she used to combat her weaknesses and this was no exception. 

"Do not dare tell me how to behave, you have no notion of who I am." She hissed at him through clenched teeth. "Now. Take your hand off me kisama!"

"You're mother was wrong, you are not strong and honorable." He sneered hatefully at her, his fingers biting deeper into her skin before loosening then letting go all together, his hand falling to his side. "You are weak in the worst sense of the word, weak in character and you are certainly nothing like your father."

Before she even realized what she was doing Shuten's head was snapping back from the force of her fist slamming into his jaw. His cheek grew red immediately and she thought for certain that he was going to swing back and hit her, the look in his eyes warned of it's probability, still she did not heed it, stepping closer so that her face was mere inches from his own.

"You brought that upon yourself! From the beginning you have imposed upon me with your contemptuous looks, scathing comments and constant scrutinizing of my every move." Her voice was growing louder with every word as was her anger increasing likewise. "You forget yourself Shuten doji-san, you are nothing more than an unwanted acquaintance to me, certainly no one who has the right to speak to me the way you just did."

"If your parents were here…" He began as she made to move away only to have her cut him off, turning on him with near hysterical anger.

"They're not here!" She screamed at him. "They're gone!"

He stared at her in shocked silence.

"They're gone!" She shouted again, her chest heaving as she did so.

The sound of her breathing could be heard in the silence that ensued.

"They're gone." She spoke softly; her chin trembling before she could stop it, turning away again as she stepped toward her car. "And I am forced to fight everyday not to follow them."

She heard his sharply in drawn breath at the realization of what she was saying

"Do you know why I fight so hard Shuten doji-san?" She asked, then looked back over her shoulder at him, watching as he slowly shook his head at her.

"Because 'niichan would suffer if I did." She explained calmly. "He has suffered enough and I would do anything to protect him, even learn to smile without happiness, to forget my own grief and the pain I feel to keep it from touching him."

"You remember that." She whispered, lifting her chin as she did, not missing his shocked expression or the concern in his eyes. "The next time you think to turn your contemptuous eyes on me, accuse me of being selfish, or of not caring enough for my brother."

Movement caught her eyes and she looked over Shuten's shoulder to see her brother moving toward them, his brows drawn together in a frown, his eyes dark and angry. She shifted her gaze back to Shuten, unable and unwilling to accept that he might be angry with her for speaking to his friend in the manner in which she had. She was not sorry, even if it meant her brother's feelings she was not sorry. She could not help the sigh of relief however, when he moved next to her and slipped a jacket over her shoulders.

"Let's go home Oneesan." He whispered quietly beside her.

She nodded, gave Shuten one last dismissive look and moved to her car, her brother following close behind her.

They rode back to the house in silence, Yuki knew that Touma drove slower than a snail and that the others would not be back until several minutes after they arrived. The entire drive she could not shake the dark cloud that was looming over her, she could not fight off the weakness that she felt, she tried to hide it, especially as she could feel Hiko's eyes on her most of the way home. When they pulled in front of the house she knew that she needed a walk, some fresh air, anything to get rid of the feelings plaguing her.

"Hiko-kun?" Her brother turned as they climbed out of the car, waiting for her to continue. "Do you think you can help Makoto to bed?"

"Aren't you coming inside Oneesan?" He sounded worried.

"Iie." She smiled reassuringly at him. "I think I'll stay outside for a bit, I need to get some air before I go to bed."

He smiled knowingly and nodded at her, opening the back door to drag Makoto out of the back seat where he was snoring happily. She watched her brother lean into the back seat; did he realize how much he meant to her? She had never told him after all, always assuming that actions spoke better than words, of course… if Shuten doji was right, her actions were lacking and were sending the wrong message, that she didn't care, that she was selfish and it was okay to disregard the feelings of others.

"'Niichan?" She called and he straightened immediately striking his head on the door frame, she chuckled as he rubbed his head, scowling at the pain.

"Hai?" He prompted.

"You do know that I would do anything for you?" She asked awkwardly watching his eyes widen and grow serious. "Don't you?"

"Hai Oneesan." He answered quietly after a short pause. "I know that."

She inclined her head slightly, smiling at him before walking away, letting her feet take her as she wandered aimlessly through the lawn, over the slight hill beside the house toward the trees. A rock in her small sandal, followed by another irritated her enough to make her take them off completely and walk barefoot in the tall grass that lead further and further from the house. It wasn't until she spotted them only five feet in front of her that she realized where she had walked to, her mother and father's names carved elegantly in the dull, gray slabs stared back at her in their monochromatic and lifeless dominance.

She had been out here only once since these markers had been raised, that was when she'd happened upon Anubis standing here, even then she had carefully avoided looking at their names, her eyes trained upon Jun's marker. Now it seemed she could not look away, compelled or rather trapped by the names, the words and the narrow rectangles, all that remained of her parent's lives kept her prisoner, drew her closer. Yuki sank to her knees before them her legs trembling and weak seemed to give out at that very moment.

"Papa. Mamma." She choked out, her voice cracking under the tears that she was trying to contain. She had not called them by that since she was a very little girl and even then only when she was very upset. She inched closer and placed her hand against her father's name trying to feel even the slightest bit of him in the deeply engraved letters. There was nothing, no warmth, and no sense of him in the cold, smooth surface that seemed to drain her of the last bit of her strength. Yuki closed her eyes, she was so tired, she wanted to feel the strong arms of her father wrap around her, and to make her strong again as he always did. "Please come back."

The tears came and would not stop; she lay on the soft grass above her father and curled into a ball; sobs that she had long denied herself tore from her throat as she wept. All the while hating herself for such a weakness. She had promised them on this very spot that she would be strong, for Hiko and now here she was, acting little better than a baby. However, she was simply too exhausted to do more than lie there and weep, shivering at the cold that settled around her; pleading silently for her parents to come back, offering up her own life just to see them again.

Yuki did not know how long she lay there when the sound of someone quietly calling her name made her sit up and swipe a hand across her eyes. There was only darkness around her and the distant lights from the house; she turned and looked toward the woods but could see nothing in the dark.

"Konoyuki." She heard her name again and turned to look behind her, not daring to hope but refusing not to hope at the possibility of her prayers being answered. Still there was nothing, and then she felt the light pressure of a comforting hand cupping her cheek, lifting her face as a calm and familiar voice whispered. "Konoyuki… why are you crying?" 

"Otousan…" Her eyes widened as she looked up into the face of her father. "Otousan is it really you?"

He smiled and nodded, she could see him so clearly and she could feel the warm press of his hand. It was so real, yet she knew it could not be. Tentatively, afraid of proving that it wasn't real, that it was indeed an illusion, Yuki lifted her hand and covered the one her father held against her cheek. Her eyes widened when she could feel his hand beneath her fingers, watching him as he slowly crouched in front of her. 

"Otousan!" She cried and flung her arms around him, burying her face in his chest, feeling his strong arms about her, stroking her hair as she cried, just as he had when she was a little girl. "Otousan." 

"Konoyuki dooshite?" He asked her after letting her cry for several minutes. "Why are you crying?"

"You must be so disappointed." She sniffled hating herself for crying, for clinging to her father as if she were still a small child, for all the things that Shuten accused her of and she feared were true. "I… I tried so hard to be strong Otousan. Hiko needs me to be strong and I tried… I thought I was… but… but… I'm not strong, I'm not like you or mother…"

Fresh tears spilled and she buried her face in his chest once more as his arms tightened around her; as much as he hated to see her cry he knew that her tears were necessary if she were to move on. He missed her terribly, he missed both his children but his daughter… she had been his first joy; the creation of the love shared by him and Nasuti. He'd watched from that other plane of existence he and his wife had been relegated to since their demise and it pained him a great deal to watch the lovely, cheerful daughter disappear under the tough exterior she showed the world. Her defense mechanism to keep from getting hurt, as she'd been hurt by his death. To protect her brother, who despite what she thought, was recovering, as unlike her, he allowed himself to grieve for his loss and was now determined to protect his older sister as she had him. 

"My beautiful daughter, you are just like me and your mother. I could never be disappointed in you." He whispered as he kissed the top of her head and gathered her closer against him. "You deserve your tears Konoyuki, go ahead and cry."

Yuki felt herself being lifted in her father's arms, he was cradling her against his chest as he walked and she was reminded of how when she'd fall asleep watching television or reading a book he would always pick her up and carry her to her room. She lifted her head and noted the house growing ever closer then closed her eyes and burrowed into the safety of his warm neck. 

"Otousan?" She whispered her voice still quivering from tears.

"Hai?"

"I miss you." She told him. "I miss you and Okaasan so much."

"We miss you too Konoyuki." She felt his kiss on her forehead and smiled. "We miss you and your brother."

She felt the softness of blankets surround her as her father set her upon her bed and covered her up and she smiled; it was just like when she was a little girl. It was warm, he was warm and she did not want him to go, not yet. She clasped his hand with both of hers and held it firm in her grip.

"Don't go." She whispered her eyelids so heavy she could not open them, her body weighed down by exhaustion as well. "Stay longer… I miss you… Hiko... miss you too"

"As you wish." Was the last thing she heard as she drifted off to sleep, not even sure she heard it at all as she was so disoriented.

"Oneesan! Oneesan dooshite?" Shuten skirted around the girl's concerned younger brother and carried her up the stairs to her room with him hard upon his heels. "Shuten doji-san, where was she? What happened?"

Shuten did not answer, he had no answer other than she'd been lying on the ground in front of the two stones that bore her parent's names, crying. He could tell her she was delusional and thought he was their father but didn't want to upset the boy further, of course that would happen when the doctor that he'd quietly ordered Touma to summon showed up. He maneuvered her into the bedroom and placed her as gently as he could on the bed, Hiko pulled blankets from a closet and the two of them covered her up. Shuten had never thought of her as helpless; stubborn, rude and a million other things but never helpless. Seeing her now, however, looking small and fragile and hearing her cry earlier… a protective surge ran through him the likes of which he'd never known. Determined to finish their earlier fight he went outside in search of her the moment he'd reached the house, when he happened upon her he called her name several times with no response. He thought she'd merely been ignoring him and growing more angry he reached down to give her shoulder a rough shake only to find her skin as cold as ice and her body trembling as she cried. 

"Don't go." He and Hiko perked up at the sound of her voice, looked at each other and then at her. Her voice was so quiet they could barely hear her and so both of them moved closer. When she clutched his hand and held it tightly he knew she must still think that it was her father with her. "Stay longer… I miss you… Hiko… miss you too."

"Ne, Oneesan… what are you talking about?" Hiko whispered from beside him turning his distressed eyes from his sister to stare at him. "Shuten, what's she saying?" 

"She thinks she's talking to your father." Shuten spoke absently and reached down to brush a lock of hair from where it fell across her face. He had never seen her cry other than the one tear she'd allowed herself at Nasuti and Korin's funeral, she was always so strong, so hard. He only now realized that she'd been holding all this in. Her pain, her sorrow; she'd held it all in so no one could see just how much she hurt… so her brother would not see how much she hurt because she knew it would hurt him to see her so. 'I am forced to fight everyday not to follow them…' he recalled her words from earlier. 

"Oneesan…" Hiko whispered and sat on the edge of the bed, taking his sister's hand in his he remained there until the doctor came and he was relegated to a nearby chair next to a silent and obviously distressed Shuten.


	4. The Sun Rises Calm and Bright

Standard disclaimers apply… I don't own them

Okay, this chapter is finally finished! Wai! Wai! I could not believe I posted such a crummy draft, yuck. There's some part re-written in the beginning but most of the stuff that's been changed is toward the end and there has been more added as well.

Disclaimer: yes I disclaim them.

Warnings: A steamy kiss and Shuten gets a cheap thrill off Yuki (PG-13 worthy).

Japanese words: get a dictionary, I'm too lazy to tell you what they mean.

==============================================================

"This is my last gift to you Konoyuki." Her father whispered as he kissed her forehead. "Treasure it, as I have."

Yuki reached desperately for his hand, holding it in her grip as he made to move away from where she sat, to disappear into that nothingness, that stark whiteness that now surrounded them. He stopped and smiled at her, his fingers tightening around hers.

"Onegai Otousan." She pleaded with him. "Can't I stay with you a little longer?"

"Konoyuki…" He brushed her cheek with his fingers. "You have been here long enough, this place is not for you, not yet. You have a great many things to accomplish before your life is over."

"Demo… Otousan." She shook her head refusing to accept what he said.

"Can't you hear him Konoyuki?" Her father smiled as he lifted his head, she grew silent, trying to hear what he was talking about. She made out a very faint sound but could not distinguish what it was. "Listen!"

She shook her head, still unable to hear exactly what it was that her father could hear.

"Your brother is calling you." He told her. "He wants you to come home."

'…san. …neesan. Oneesan please wake up. Please Oneesan, wake up.'

"He needs your strength Konoyuki." Her father put his fingers under her chin and lifted her face up to meet his eyes. "They all will, remember what I told you."

Yuki looked down at the small orb glowing green in the palm of her hand. She didn't want this gift her father had given her, she did not want to accept that she had to be alone again, without her father, without her mother, if she stayed here they could always be together. 

'Oneesan.' She heard her brother's voice again and turned in the direction from where it came, echoing throughout the emptiness.

But what about him? He would be completely alone and hadn't she promised herself, her father, her mother that she would be there for him. That she would protect him from feeling the pain that the loss of their parent's brought, ever again. 

"Hiko-kun." She whispered her hand tightening around the orb.

"Yes… Hiko would be so lost without you." Her father's voice confirmed her thoughts and she turned back to look at him. He was silent and contemplative, his brows coming together in a frown before he spoke again, urgency in his voice. "Your brother is special Konoyuki, he will be able to endure a great deal but unlike you and the others his strength is not a virtue and you must be there to guide him."

"Otousan?" She whispered, wondering what could make him warn her to be cautious in regards to her brother, he was by far the most sensitive, sweet-tempered person she knew. "What do you mean?"

"Ask Shuten." Her father advised his smile returning. "He will tell you everything you need to know, he will help you."

"Shuten doji-san?" She sounded incredulous and wanted to blurt out what an infuriating ass she thought he was but knew better than to speak in such a manner in front of her father. It seemed she didn't need to say anything at all as he started to chuckle.

"He's an arrogant ass, isn't he?" Her father shocked her with words she would have never expected to hear from his mouth. There was never any doubt when her father took a disliking to someone, however for him to voice such a comment was unheard of, even if she did agree with him. A slow smile spread across her mouth and she nodded slowly making him laugh further before he spoke again. "I have known him many years and although I could not always say so I trust him completely. He can teach you a great many things, as can Anubis. They will prove to be your allies in the trouble that lies ahead, trust them and work with them."

"Anubis-san maybe but Shuten doji-san…?" She sounded doubtful. "I don't know Otousan, he is what you say."

Her father laughed again and pulled her to her feet while talking to her, 'he did carry you to the house the other night and has sat by your side nearly every moment since you got sick.' He smiled at her shocked expression as they walked along, where they were headed she did not know, there was no sense of direction, no horizon, they just moved through the obscure white. 

"Chotto matte." She stopped walking as something only just now hit her. "Sick? I've been sick?"

"Yes Konoyuki." Her father resumed their walking as he explained. "You fell very ill the other night, your brother and your friends are very worried, as am I."

"You're worried?" She asked confused.

"Hai." He nodded. "You need to go back, to live, for your brother, for everyone and yes, even for your mother and I."

"He's right Yuki-chan." Her eyes widened and she turned toward the quiet voice of her mother behind her. "You need to go back."

"Okaasan!" She flung herself into her mother's arms unable to stop the fresh tears as she felt her mothers comforting arms around her. "Okaasan… Okaasan…"

She could say nothing more merely weep as she clung to her mother, her father's arms closed around them making her feel so warm, so loved. She turned and lay her cheek upon her father's chest, hearing the beating of his heart, his hands stroking her hair while she sobbed.

"Don't let go." She mumbled through her tears. "Please, just stay with me."

"We are always watching you Konoyuki." She heard her father whisper, clinging tighter to the front of his shirt as his voice was growing dim. She would not let go, she vowed shaking her head against his chest, she would never let go. "Always."

---

Shuten climbed the stairs with heavy steps, it seemed to be a struggle to even put one foot in front of the other these days. He was exhausted but he knew that the young boy who sat and watched diligently over his sister was even more so and for this reason he put his selfish concern aside and moved with a new energy. Toyohiko was a dedicated young man, his family, or what was left of it and maybe for that very reason, meant more to him than anything and Shuten marveled at his devotion. Nasuti certainly had nothing to worry about with her young son being corrupted; his sense of loyalty rivaled even Shuten's own.

He cleared the top step and halted at the sound of Toyohiko's voice, he was calling her, willing her to wake up and Shuten waited politely for the young man to finish before he pushed open the door and stepped inside. The blonde head that reminded him so much of Korin did not turn as he entered, although he most certainly was aware of Shuten having entered. He moved forward and rest his hand on the boy's shoulder, giving a gentle reassuring squeeze before removing his hand and moving to stand beside him.

"Any change?" He asked as he joined in the observation of the fragile girl lying in the bed where he had placed her several days ago. The doctor had recommended that she be moved to a hospital, Rekka's wife, also a doctor had spoke out against it, they would be able to do no more for her there, she simply needed rest as she was suffering from exhaustion and a fever brought on by the latter. 

"Iie." Shuten turned to watch Toyohiko rub his eyes tiredly, he was going to end up in the same condition as his sister if he did not take care of himself. "I keep calling her and calling her but she doesn't hear me."

"Toyohiko." Shuten waited for the young man to turn his attention toward him. "Sayuri and her father are holding dinner for you. Why don't you join them downstairs, I'll watch over your sister for the time being."

"I really don't want to…" He began.

"Do you know what I'll have to listen to when she wakes up if you get sick?" Shuten interrupted him. Toyohiko looked momentarily perplexed and then the smile Shuten had been hoping for emerged as he no doubt visualized his sister giving him the verbal hammering of the century, which was sadly not far from the truth. She would-as she often liked to eloquently threaten-'kick his ass' if anything happened to her brother.

"Wakatta." He nodded his head as he climbed to his feet and moved around the chair and moved to the door.

Shuten retrieved the small basin next to the chair and carried it through the doorway to the attached bathroom. Shuten heard the door close behind Toyohiko as he filled the basin with fresh, cool water, carrying it back and setting it atop the small table next to her bed. Doing his best not to disturb her he sat on the edge of the bed and squeezed the excess water from the cloth inside the basin. He lay the wet cloth gently across her forehead, letting it do its best to cool her fever. He watched her for any reaction but she remained still and silent and he could not help but worry over how helpless she looked. He longed to have her sneer at him, to see her eyes flashing angrily at his mere presence. Shuten smiled as he brushed back a stray lock of her hair, thinking that it was just as unruly as she was. 

"Dooshite Konoyuki Date?" He whispered quietly to her silent form. "Can't you hear your brother calling you?"

He pulled the cloth from her forehead and dipped it into the basin, starting his routine over again. Squeezing the excess water and turning back to the helpless girl only to gasp in surprise as he could see tears spilling out from under her closed eyelids and slipping down her cheeks. Shuten dropped the cloth and placed both of his hands on her shoulders giving her a slight shake. He sat back not knowing what to do as choked sobs soon joined her tears and moments later and apparently still not aware of what she was doing she was clinging to his chest, her hands fisted in his shirt as she continued to cry. Almost of their own volition Shuten's arms closed around her, his hand gently stroking her hair as she wept. Her fists began twisting and pulling in his shirt as she whispered incoherently through her tears, his arms tightened around her instinctively as she gave her head a slight shake. He could barely make out the words as she mumbled into his chest, 'please… just… stay…' 

He remembered with perfect clarity the devastation that Nasuti felt at the death of her young friend so many years ago and although he had been sympathetic to her feelings it was at a time when he did not know how or was not willing to empathize with such emotions. His resolution or the help he had offered her mother had simply been to make her forget. He now realized his mistake in doing so, the pain was waiting for Nasuti when she did remember and she was forced to relive it once she had. This child was different from her mother; she would never wish the pain away, she would carry it with her forever, as a tribute to those she loved. Certainly it would lessen and dull over time but Konoyuki would never stop feeling it. Shuten suspected that, although he did not know him personally, Korin would be much like his daughter in the same situation, or rather she was like him. Except in temper, he had seen Korin often enough to know how cool-headed he was, except where Nasuti was concerned but even then he was more often than not controlled. His daughter seemed to be the opposite, she could claim the same abilities as her father in a fight, fast, precise and graceful, her temper however, was quite another matter and he'd been on the receiving end of her having reached the limits of it. 

__

'Do you know why I fight so hard… because niichan would suffer…' he recalled her words from a few nights ago and wondered how much of her temper was merely a defense mechanism. Seeing her as she was now and that night when he'd found her outside and carried her in to the house made him think differently about her defiance, her anger and rudeness toward him. He could often see her at odds with her behavior, as if she was fighting against herself or a deeply ingrained politeness that her parents had taught her. He could recall the gentleness she showed her brother, how she protected him and how Shuten came to realize that what appeared to him as laziness and a lack of consideration for others was quite the opposite. The reason she slept so late in the morning was simply because she was exhausted having stayed up with her brother, comforting him, drying his tears. Tears Shuten himself had heard and often thought of drying himself except that he knew the tears would stop, without realizing that the reason they stopped was because his sister, the one now crying in his arms would go to her brother's room each night and quiet them. Shuten felt something akin to shame at having misjudged her so badly.

Toyohiko had been easy to like, Shuten was drawn to him most likely because his nature was more that of his mother. Shuten often marveled at how much he was like her, sentimental, kind and incredibly intelligent; he possessed his mother's gentle eyes as well. Quite often however Shuten found himself drawn to Konoyuki, drawn in a way that was disturbing. Disturbing in that he did not understand it. She was beautiful but he could resist beauty, there was something else that he could not or rather, would not put his finger on. He'd felt it the other night when she'd been at the police station. His reaction was certainly out of line, not to mention out of character. He had refused to examine his reaction then just as he refused to examine or acknowledge the way his heart was stirring now. Once again reassuring himself that he was only concerned with her brother's well being and right now her brother's well being was dependent upon her getting better.

__

Don't be an ass Shuten. He could almost hear Nasuti's voice dripping with incredulous sarcasm. His brows drawing together in a deep frown as he looked down at the golden chestnut hair, a perfect blend of her mother and fathers, at the tear-stained cheek that showed through the strands that he pushed back from her face, at the small fist clinging tightly to his chest. He could not deny her beauty, even in such a state as she was in now she was breathtaking but he had long ago gained control over his emotions; he could always, even in the face of such beauty, turn his heart away. He had done it before.

As if she could hear his thoughts and sought to protest, her eyes fluttered opened and left him drowning in their soft gray depths. All his resolve, everything that he'd been so certain of only moments before was gone, washed away in the face of her soul piercing eyes. He swallowed hard; his breath caught in his throat as he realized he could not turn away, not his heart and not his soul.

"Shuten doji-san?" She whispered confused her eyes holding him captive until she blinked.

His eyes wide he could do no more than nod at her whispered question. He noticed another tear trickling down her cheek and drew his thumb across it, erasing it from her skin. His fingers brushed lightly at the strands of hair that clung to the side of her face. She gasped at the gesture and his eyes moved once again to hers and once again he was unable to look away from their wide, pale, depths.

What the hell was he thinking? She was merely a child! His thoughts rushed about his head, as their gazes remained locked. She was no child, she was a woman and this acknowledgment made him realize another… that he was afraid, he had lost his heart once before to one who was so much like this one; a piece of his heart remained with her still. No, it was not even this that frightened him. What truly frightened him was that he somehow knew that if he lost his heart to this one, it would be gone forever. She would not merely keep a piece of it she would own it all until he breathed his last and beyond. Somehow he knew that she could command him beyond what Arago had all those years ago.

__

How is this possible? He wondered. _How could he not have seen this happening?_ But he realized that he had seen it happening. He had seen it long ago in his dreams of a young queen fighting by his side in the Youjukai, a young queen he had believed to be the mother of the very one he now held in his arms. The words of one who was wise beyond worlds when Shuten had not the strength to stand _'She is your future, but first you must fight._'

__

That damned monk! Shuten thought to himself. _I could kill him if he weren't already dead!_

"Where is Hiko?" Her soft voice brought Shuten's attention back from his reverie and he helped her to lie back on the bed as she began to fidget in his embrace, growing uncomfortable with their closeness.

"He's eating dinner." Shuten explained as he climbed to his feet and moved away from her bed. "I will go get him, he's been anxious for you to wake up."

She was silent for several moments before continuing.

"I heard him calling me." She smiled.

Shuten gasped, his eyes widening as her smile slammed into him like a powerful fist. Mumbling an incoherent excuse he quickly escaped, making his way hurriedly downstairs. 

---

Konoyuki was thankful Shuten left the room, she was by no means up to a battle of wills with him just now, not to mention the fact that she was too shocked at finding herself in his arms when she woke up. The whole time with her father and mother had been a dream; the warm arms of her father that held her were actually those of Shuten doji's. She flung her fist down into the blankets of her bed only then realizing the cool, heavy feel of something clutched tightly in her hand. Her eyes widened as she opened her fingers and stared at what she'd dreamed her father had given her. _'This is my final gift to you Konoyuki_' is what he had told her. But that was just a dream wasn't it. She frowned in confusion. It couldn't' have been a dream and produced something tangible, it must have been real. 

She stared at the iridescent orb, glowing green in the palm of her hand. It was as if it were alive, pulsing like a heartbeat in her palm. It felt powerful, like it held inside it the power to burn hotter than the sun and it seemed to grow warmer as she held it, the heartbeat pulsing louder and stronger and suddenly it was gone… wait, not gone, merely in time with her own. What had her father given her, she wondered as she stared nearly mesmerized by it? He had told her to ask Shuten that he would know, but how could he know what it is, how could Anubis know? Her father trusted them? How long had they known each other? Yuki's head started to ache and deciding to wait for another day she slipped the small orb into the small jewelry box resting atop the nearby table, closing the lid just in time to hear footsteps bounding up the stairs.

"Oneesan!" She heard her brother exclaim and could not help the smile forming on her face as he burst through the door and launched himself at her. His arms going around her waist, his head in her lap, clinging to her desperately as she stroked his hair and rubbed his back. Smiling at Sayuri and her father as they filed into the room at a slower pace than her brother did.

"I heard you calling me Hiko." She whispered as she leaned forward and kissed the back of his head. He raised his eyes to her and smiled through the tears he struggled not to show. 

"I'm so relieved." He grabbed her hands and squeezed them, then dropped them in favor of wrapping his arms around her once more. "I am so very relieved."

"I'm sorry I worried you Hiko." She brushed his hair back from his face again.

"You worried us all." Came Sayuri's voice from across the room, she and Hiko both turned as her friend made her way to her bedside. "You'd better not do it again, you're poor brother would hardly leave your side, Shuten doji-san as well. I had to come here and drag them off to eat something and you know with Otousan cooking it wasn't an easy thing to convince them to do."

"Oi! Sayuri-chan!" She heard her uncle call from the doorway, grumbling about ungrateful children and the like.

Yuki smiled at them all as they broke into laughter, she searched the faces among those present, surprised to see Shuten wasn't among them as their teasing laughter lifted the tension of the last few days from everyone in the room. Shuten would not leave her side? Her brother she suspected but Shuten… this was surprising news.

__

He probably felt guilty for being such ass the other night. She thought as she dismissed his presence during her illness as concern. Still, the feel of his arms around her… she could, even now recall the warmth and strength of those arms as he held her gently against his chest. Pushing the memory aside she gave herself a mental shake, feeling resentment over the knowledge that later she would have to thank him for his kindness toward her. _Damn it._

---

"Yuki dooshite?" She heard Anubis' voice break through her already over-crowded brain. She turned to look at him sharply a confused frown creasing her brow.

"Nothing…" She replied absently. "Why do you ask Anubis-san?"

She noted him rolling his eyes in exasperation and shaking his head. Yuki had to chuckle at him, she knew that she'd not been paying attention, that her abilities were not being displayed to their best advantage as she wandered through kendo practice absently. 

"You have barely managed to stop me three times in a row using a technique that one with your abilities should be laughing at." He informed her, inviting her to lead the way to a seat. "I suspect you have a good reason for your behavior."

He wanted an explanation she realized and there was only one she could give. It had been several weeks since her recovery; she had been taking better care of herself, hardly avoidable as her little brother watched her like an over-protective mother. She had finally worked up the much needed energy or calm -she couldn't decide which she needed more- to thank Shuten for his care during her incapacitation. He had stared at her with incredulity, no doubt wondering what the hell had gotten into her to make her behave nice toward him. She was a little surprised but had half expected his animosity, as it had always been present between them; what he said next however, nearly had her contemplating ripping his head off. He had told her, rather disdainfully, that she should not have expected anything less, he was concerned for her brother and would do anything, no matter how loathsome to help him. Her anger had boiled over and she had called him every vile name and even made up a few before she was finished, stomping off angrily after he yelled a few of his own. She had sat and meditated for hours, once she had calmed down she began to rationally analyze his behavior, frowning as she could not for the life of her understand why he would say such a thing. He had never intentionally been hurtful; he had said things to her in front of the police station but had not felt they were without warrant. Why would he do so now?

"Feh… Shuten." Anubis' disgusted tone as she relayed that bit of information to him made Yuki look up, turning to see Anubis shake his head a wistful caste to his eyes. She waited silently for him to continue. "He really is an ass."

"That seems to be the consensus." She laughed catching his twinkling eyes as he laughed with her. "You, me, my father… we all agree."

"Did… did you just say…" Anubis asked after several moments of silence, frowning with disbelief. "Your father…?"

She lowered her gaze, only then realizing how stupid that must have sounded to him. Not sure what else to do she looked back and nodded at his inquisitive eyes, watching as they widened in surprise. Yuki decided to summarize the 'visit' she had with her father when she'd been ill, telling him about the orb, everything. When she was done silence filled the air and she fidgeted and picked at an imaginary speck on her hakama, waiting for Anubis to laugh at her or haul her off to a nut house for seeing and hearing dead people.

"And your mother?" He asked with something akin to urgency. "Did she visit you as well?"

Yuki nodded and was surprised to see a small smile curve up the corners of his mouth, sitting in silence for several minutes before he asked her what they spoke of. Yuki went on to explain that her parents were worried about her being sick and that she needed to return, that her brother was calling for her. She told him that her father was proud of her and that he had a gift to give to her. 

"That's how I knew it wasn't just a dream Anubis-san." She explained to him. "When I woke up in my room… the gift that my father had given me... "

"Yes." Anubis prompted her.

"I was clutching it in my hand." She finished.

He was silent for several minutes and Yuki watched as he processed everything that she had told him. At last he climbed to his feet and stood in front of her holding his hand out to her he hauled her to her feet when she placed hers in its grasp. He hauled her along behind him outside through the shoji and into her mother's garden. He stopped abruptly when they reached a small bench and he sat down, pulling her down beside him. 

"Do you know of Korin?" Anubis' voice suddenly serious made Yuki look sharply at him. She knew of the legend, her father had told her and Hiko about it many times; Korin and the other legends.

"Yes." She replied

"It cannot have slipped your notice that Shuten, Naaza and I have often referred to your father by this name." He stated matter-of-factly, there was no question to it. As she shook her head he slowly nodded his and pausing, perhaps to search for the right words, he lowered his gaze to the gravel walkway then raised them to gaze into her eyes again. "Your father is… was… Korin. Korin no Seiji."

She waited for the laughter, for the teasing hint that always filled Anubis' voice when he joked playfully with her but it never came. She didn't understand, how could her father have been this… thing and she not known. If what Anubis said was true then that meant that her father was one of those responsible for ending the war, it was in all the history books as she'd grown up… The Yoroiden Samurai Troopers; boys who became men and saved not only this world but countless others then disappeared into obscurity, never to be heard from again, the amour they each wore had vanished as peace returned to the land and they were no longer needed. 

Korin no Seiji. Otousan. She wrestled with what Anubis was telling her somehow knowing that it was true but still unable to fathom its reality. 

"Anubis-san?" She queried as something odd struck her. "How is it that you know all of this? How did you know my father as Korin when you are hardly of an age?"

He stared at her with those bottomless eyes of his that held so much of the world within them and without hesitation, without blinking told her the impossible, 'I am over four-hundred years old Konoyuki Date. I left the Ningenkai and joined forces with the enemy of this world in the Youjukai. I fought against your father during the war and nearly killed him, would have killed him if not for your mother.'

Yuki could feel her eyes grow wide as saucers as she stared into his steadfast gaze and each word he spoke sank into her, settling in her head, settling in her heart. …_would _have killed him if not for your mother. He was her father's enemy? But he was so kind to her, her brother. He had said so many nice things to her about both of her parents. She knew he respected her father, he had said so and she could see the truth in his eyes as he told her this. 

"Wait a minute!" She gasped something only just then sinking in. "Did you say you were over four hundred years old?"

"Hai." Anubis inclined his head as he answered. "All three of us were part of the same destructive force that nearly tore apart this world and many others."

All three of us… Naaza and… Shuten! _'I was never your father's friend.'_ Shuten had once said to her, she'd thought it an odd thing to say back then but now it made sense. Could Anubis show her how to use the orb? She wondered growing excited at the idea of becoming some super hero type that one only read about in books. Like her father! 

"Yuki?" She felt a tap on her shoulder as Anubis called her name. She spun on her heal and surprised him with an enthusiastic smile.

"Anubis!" She clasped his hand and began to drag him along with her through the dojo and into the house. "Come with me!" 

"I don't think I have much of a choice." He mumbled as he reluctantly allowed her to lead him through the house and up the stairs. He hesitated when she flung the doors wide and he saw that it was her bedroom but she pulled incessantly and he staggered in along with her, his eyes darting nervously about her room. "I don't think it's right for me to be in here with you alone."

"Don't be ridiculous!" She chided him as she shook her head. "There have been many occasions that I've been alone in here with Makoto, Shiro, Mizuko, it's nothing new."

"Shikashi Yuki…" He still wasn't sure that it was proper. "Those boys are all the sons of your father's closest friends, they're more like brothers to you than anything else."

"Is that what Makoto is thinking when he tries to climb all over me, that he's my brother?" She scoffed as she made her way to the small box on the bedside table. "Here I thought he was just a pervert!"

"Well you might be right with him." Anubis blushed a little at her candid remark then gave up his old-fashioned notion and stepped into the room. "But Suiki and Rekka are definitely more like your brothers." 

He did not notice the stiffening of her shoulders as he moved closer, trying to see around her and get a glimpse of what she was doing. He did not miss the frown in her eyes as she slowly turned around to face him however and wondered what it was that he had said to cause it. 

"What did you just say?" She asked, her voice quiet and fierce. She knew those names he had used; they were in the history books right next to the name that he'd used for her father, Korin. At the mention of those two names it dawned on her that it could not be any mere coincidence that he, Shuten and Naaza had appeared at her parent's funeral and decided to stick around and train them so hard out of some weird funeral rite or something. She did not like things being hidden from her and she certainly didn't like the feeling that she'd been manipulated, along with her friends and family. Her father had mentioned something about 'the trouble ahead' when he'd visited her in that strange dream when she was sick, what did he foresee? The Samurai Troopers had not gained their power until just before they were called upon to fight and once the fighting was over their power was not seen again but now it appeared that power was about to be resurrected, in the children of those who donned it before. She wanted some answers and she wanted them now.

"Why are the three of you here Anubis-san?" She took a step toward him as she spoke, her clear gray eyes piercing into his soul. "Why the sudden urgency in our training? Me, Sayuri, Makoto, Mizuko, Shiro and my brother, what are you getting us ready for?"

"For war, Konoyuki Date." She and Anubis both turned to the door at the sound of Shuten's voice. "The Yoroiden Samurai Troopers are needed again."

She had not been this close or spoken to Shuten since their last confrontation after she had gone to thank him. Something in his eyes held her captive, a softness that he could not immediately mask with his normal arrogance before she got a chance to see it. She did not like the warmth spreading through her at that look, it suggested something that she refused to think about and she pulled her gaze away from him to look at Anubis once more. His eyes were filled with obvious regret and she turned back to Shuten, her eyes narrowing angrily at his now disdainful and arrogant look. 

"Tell me what this is!" She demanded extending her hand for him to see the orb that grew warm and began to glow. She watched Shuten and Anubis look at each other knowingly sparking her anger further and the orb began to pulse as if it were alive.

"The yori no Korin." Shuten answered her as if he were talking to a dimwitted child. "Can't you feel it?"

She could feel something, it was like a distant song calling to her, lulling her into its soft melody the sound growing louder and louder until it was no longer just sound. Brilliant light was surrounding her, a cool brightness that could light up the sky at midnight and then indescribable power was coursing through her and voices, so many voices…

"Konoyuki!" Everything vanished at the sound of Shuten doji shouting her name and she found herself standing in her room, the orb still in her extended hand with him and Anubis staring at her. "Don't be so foolish as to let that happen again! You could have leveled this house!"

She scowled at Shuten not sure if what she'd felt a few moments ago was what he was referring to. _Was that Korin?_ She wondered, barely convinced if what she'd just felt really happened at all.

"You stupid girl!" Shuten took a menacing step toward her and made to reach for the orb in her hand as he mumbled. "What the hell was your father thinking giving that to you?" 

"He was probably thinking of my kicking your ass!" Yuki snapped at him as she pulled her hand out of his reach and stepped back. 

"Yuki…" Anubis warned with a sigh.

"You know." Shuten began, his voice laced with animosity and barely concealed rage. "No matter how hard I look and I do look, daily, for your brother's sake, I cannot find one redeemable quality about you. You should be glad your parents are not here to see what type of person you've become."

"Shuten!" Anubis angrily cut him off before he could say anymore. "What the hell is wrong with you? That was completely un-called for! You were the one to come in here and provoke her!"

"Forget it Anubis-san." Both of them turned at the sound of her quiet voice, her eyes meeting Shuten's unwavering. "It's not as if I care enough about his opinion of me to get upset over anything he says."

She could tell that what she said stung Shuten, just as what he'd said had stung her. She half expected him to come back at her with more scathing remarks or at the very least a look that could freeze the rain in summer. She certainly wasn't prepared for the confusion in his eyes or the sudden appearance of what she could only call… desperation? She could feel that same wave of warmth wash over her, could feel her own resolve softening as his had earlier.

"Forgive me Konoyuki." Shuten offered a quiet apology, she could see the remorse in his eyes and knew that he meant it, still she refused to think about it. "I should not have said…"

She raised her hand to stop him a small smirk appearing on her mouth as she spoke, 'don't bother Shuten doji-san, as I said, it's not as if I care about your opinion of me.'

"Of course." He replied after several minutes of silence. He inclined his head once and then turned at the door and spoke again. "I would ask that you not mention this to the others, I would like to tell them myself and will do so soon."

With that he turned and left and with him all the fight in her left as well. Her mind a whirlwind as all that he'd said, all that she now realized weighed heavily on her.

"Yuki." Anubis' softly calling her name made her start a little as she'd forgotten he was still present. "I know it cannot be easy hearing what Shuten told you… would you like to talk about it? I know a lot about your father's… about your… uh… about Korin."

Yuki laughed a little at his stuttering and felt her mood lighten some but it was hard to ignore the seriousness for long and her thoughts soon turned grim once more. If there was to be a war and it was the kind that would require such extreme measures as the return of the Samurai Troopers she wanted to be as ready a warrior as she could be to ensure that her friends and her brother were kept safe. 

"How do I call it?" She asked him holding the small orb out to him.

"I think you already know." He answered her confirming that what she had felt earlier was indeed Korin coming to her. At the smile spreading across her face in anticipation Anubis quickly added. "That is not to say that you should call it now however."

She frowned at him, not understanding why he would wish to discourage her. To her it seemed as if the sooner she learned to harness Korin the better for the world in general and so she asked him, 'why?'

"As I've said to you often Yuki, you are a lot like your father." He paused and she waited impatiently for him to continue. "You do not have his calm however, the inner peace your father possessed was possibly his most formidable asset, it made him nearly unbeatable and until you possess the same I would not recommend calling Korin."

---- 

Yuki lay on the forest floor, exhausted from kendo practice with Anubis earlier and frustrated at her failed attempts at meditation, she just could not achieve that state of calm she'd so often heard others speak of. After each training session, her body spent she would retreat to a place of quiet solitude and meditate, looking for that place her father had found, looking for whatever it was that made him that nearly perfect, nearly unbeatable warrior that Anubis spoke of. Each attempt ended in frustration as she searched and searched and could not find it, she was beginning to think that it was unobtainable. Maybe she was not so much like her father as she'd always believed herself to be, maybe this place her father had found did not exist for her, maybe she needed to find her own place.

She stared up at the canopy of tall trees above her. The different shades of green against the brightness of the sky were all changed to one in silhouette; every so often a light breeze would waft by and make them shimmer like silver as they fluttered. It was by far the most relaxed she'd felt in weeks, too often focused on what was too come as they all were, having been told by Shuten, Naaza and Anubis what lay ahead for them. She would never forget being witness to the saddest expressions of fathers who watched the dismayed looks of their sons and daughters as they confirmed everything they were told, wishing that some miracle would happen to avoid their children having to experience the same things they had. She felt for them all, her uncles, their children who were her closest friends and her brother, whom she could tell, was quite hurt at being excluded from it all. She did try to include Hiko as much as she could in everything that was happening to her, to all of them, they had sat and talked about it at great length on several occasions. Yuki had encouraged him to hold the glowing orb himself after explaining to him how it glowed and grew warm and often pulsed in her hand when her emotions were high. She could feel his disappointment herself when the orb remained cool and even appeared to darken in color while he held it in his own hand, speculating that it must only be when the bearer held the orb that this happened. Despite his exclusion from the Samurai Troopers Hiko did not stop his training, if anything he trained harder telling her that he had promised himself he would become stronger so that she didn't have to worry over him, so that he could protect her and Sayuri. She had meant to tell him that she felt he was already strong enough to do so but her attention had been pulled away by something else and she'd never gotten the chance to do so. She was actually glad that her brother would not be involved in this, he was too sensitive and the warning from her father about Hiko kept nagging at the back of her mind. Surely as Korin she would be able to keep her brother safe; as if on cue she could feel the pulse of the orb in her pocket. It was strange how when she had the orb with her and felt some emotion strongly the orb would then pulse, as if it sensed her feelings. Reaching down into her jeans pocket she pulled the small orb out holding it lightly in her fingers above her head watching its glimmering surface. 

"When?" She whispered a strange longing building in her; it was almost as if a part of her were missing. The orb pulsed, a moment later it pulsed again and then again, it was matching her heartbeat and before long she could not distinguish between the two as she lay there watching it glow warm in her hand. She could hear the faint beginnings of a distant humming, the humming grew louder and louder until it was almost screaming in her ear and then light, blinding bright light enveloping her entire body. Power exploded to life inside her, power like she'd never felt before coursed through every part of her. The blinding light faded and she looked around from where she stood, not recalling climbing to her feet at all. She lifted her hand to look at the orb and was shocked to find it gone and even more shocked to find that she held the hilt of the largest, most incredible sword she'd ever seen in her armored hand. She looked down at herself, holding her hands out so that she could see, opening and closing her empty hand not believing what her eyes could see and just to make certain she brought her hand up to touch her face, also covered in armor. 

"Korin!" She gasped lowering her hand, her other hand tightened around the hilt of the sword. It looked too big for her to be able to lift and she gasped when she was able to do so with surprising ease, watching a cool, trail of light follow in the path of the blade. She laughed at her dizzying strength, spinning as she turned her face up to the sky feeling the power coursing through her; she was convinced that no one could possibly beat her. Like her father she was unstoppable, unbeatable, she would destroy anyone who attempted to best her.

"Konoyuki!" It was the sound of her father's angry voice cutting through her. "Do not let yourself be seduced by Korin's power! Reign in this desire to conquer!"

Yuki fought to concentrate on what her father said but Korin was pulling at her, threatening to swallow her with its power, she struggled against it but the whispers of a thousand warriors who had donned Korin before her caressed her mind. _Korin can bring the world to its knees for you; everything will fall in the wake of your power._

"This is not your will Konoyuki." Her father's voice, this time quiet and calm called to her again. "You are stronger than this."

Yuki squeezed her eyes shut tight, both hands clenched around the hilt of the sword and she fought against the burning brightness of Korin, against the chaotic swirl of so many voices who bid her seek out her enemies and lay waste to them this very moment. _No! I will not let you!_ She thought as the light flashed and burned through her body, fighting against being contained as she slowly pulled it back into her, feeling it seeping from every fiber of her being back into the orb that she could suddenly feel within the palm of her hand once more. 

__

I did it Otousan. She thought in triumph as the lightness of the armor disappeared and darkness began to surround her. The effort to contain Korin drained her of all her energy and she began to sink toward the forest floor unconscious. 

__

Yes. She heard her father's voice again before the darkness claimed her completely. _Yes you did_.

----

Hiko, for the third time attempted to avoid the fist that Shuten threw at him and again he failed, fighting back the desire to knock that stupid smile off his face at having outwitted him again. Hiko knew that his thoughts were unkind, Shuten didn't have to take the time out to train him, he wasn't like his sister or Shiro or the others. Still Shuten did not treat him any differently, his training appeared to be just as important as any of those lucky enough to receive the right to call themselves Yoroiden Samurai Troopers. Hiko was thankful for Shuten's training but he was frustrated at not being able to advance sooner, he knew he had gotten stronger but still, he was not strong enough. 

He turned his gaze to Sayuri who was currently sparring with Makoto under the watchful eye of Anubis, he felt his hackles rise slightly as Makoto managed to tag her in the shoulder. He knew it was practice, even so he couldn't bear to see her get hurt. 

Klonk! Hiko winced and rubbed his head, seeing Shuten's stern gaze after having gained his attention by hammering him on the head with his fist. He turned and fixed Shiro who snickered beside him with an icy glare before turning back to Shuten.

"Pay attention Toyohiko!" Shuten reprimanded him. "Women are for warriors to enjoy after the fight."

Hiko's eyes widened at Shuten's words thinking that if his sister would have heard that there would be hell to pay. It appeared that the same idea came to Shuten's mind as Hiko watched his sensei look about him cautiously before mumbling an apology. Hiko thought the apology was probably just in case she had overheard him, it seemed Shuten was getting smarter where she was concerned. 

"Are you ready to try it again Toyohiko?" Shuten asked and without waiting he threw his fist at him once again. 

Hiko waited, watching the older man's fist coming straight at him, as before, he moved only when he didn't have to over extend himself. He swung his arm down hard upon Shuten's wrist and side stepped out of its path, then brought the fist of his other hand up and swung at Shuten. At the last minute, almost as an afterthought Shuten moved out of the way and it wasn't until then that Hiko realized he had managed to block him. He didn't feel deserving of his accomplishment for long as he noticed how distracted Shuten was, turning away from his students to gaze up at the trees in the forest behind the house a deep frown furrowing his eyebrows. 

He looked at Shiro who frowned and shrugged his shoulders, not understanding what he was doing either. He then noticed that not only Shuten but also Anubis and Naaza were looking in the same direction, also wearing the same disturbed faces.

Hiko was about to ask them what was going on when a sharp, bright pain exploded in his head bringing him to his knees. Although he'd never experienced anything like it before, Hiko's instinct told him what it was, his sister, she was in trouble. The pain was gone almost immediately and with the help of Shuten, he climbed to his feet. 

"Oneesan." He whispered in response to Shuten's questioning gaze, shaking his head to clear it and almost falling again before Shiro could catch him to take the place of Shuten who at the mention of his sister took off at a dead run for the forest. Hiko was instantly alert and followed Shuten, as did everyone else. It was immediately apparent that something was strange about the forest, there was an eerie glow that grew brighter the deeper into the woods he got. Hiko at first feared that there was a fire but soon dismissed this, as he realized that no fire ever cooled the air when it blazed so brightly.

"Shimatta!" He heard Shuten's voice up ahead and Hiko was awestruck and could not move when he saw her. The image of his sister fully cloaked in the armor of Korin that first time would stay with him forever. Green and white armor that formed to her perfectly, in her hand a no-dachi and all around her a brilliant light, like that reflected off the snow in winter, so bright it hurt to look at and you were forced to shelter your eyes. He could feel how powerful she was and despite Shuten's warning to get back, that she was out of control he moved closer, captivated by her, by how powerful she was. 

"Don't get any closer Toyohiko." Naaza spoke from directly behind him. "It's too dangerous."

Suddenly the light began to dim and when it was gone completely the armor and sword were likewise. Hiko stared at his sister who stood in the clearing, everything around her silent and still, he watched as she opened her outstretched hand and something fell to the ground landing at her feet. Her eyes were open but he didn't think she could see him, he didn't think she could see any of them. Then, as if in slow motion she began to fall backwards, Shuten reached her just in time to keep her from hitting the ground full force.

"Oneesan!" He shouted and started forward only to be stopped by Naaza who held him back assuring him that she would be fine, that she was merely overwhelmed the first time as happened to all of them, himself included. In his distraction Naaza failed to notice the sharp look that Hiko gave him at his confession.

----

Shuten worked quickly to unbutton first the girl's sweater and then the top buttons of her blouse, trying to make it easier for her to breath as she struggled to do so. She was choking and gasping for air, one of her hands clutched and grabbed for something to hold onto and finding only empty air; he placed his hand in hers and felt her grip tighten painfully about his fingers. Shuten frowned, it had been so long since he'd gone through this that he could not recall how long it took him to begin to relax and recover. 

"Come on Konoyuki." He whispered brushing her hair back from her face with one hand; the other still locked in the tight grip of her fingers. As if she had heard him she sat straight up, took one long gasping breath and then collapsed again. He caught her before she could fall backwards and held her against his chest, sighing in relief as her breathing became normal.

He turned back and was surprised to see Hiko and Sayuri not far away with Naaza, watching everything; the others were further back with Anubis watching nervously from a distance. The young boy shifted his gaze to Shuten; he offered the young man who cared so deeply for his sister a reassuring smile.

"She'll be fine Toyohiko." Shuten spoke softly as he shifted onto one knee. "She needs a few minutes to catch her breath, why don't you go back with Sayuri and have some tea prepared, I'll help her back to the house."

Touma's daughter knew what Shuten was doing and stepped up from where she stood behind Naaza. Taking the boy's hand she led him away, back to the house with Naaza following close behind them. Shuten watched them disappear and then turned back to the girl in his arms, lying her gently back on the bed of moss and dried leaves that blanketed the forest floor. 

"Unnnngh…" He saw her brows furrow as she moaned in pain. He knew she would be feeling it for a while, the first charge up was always the hardest on the body.

"Stupid girl." He whispered as he again brushed her hair back from her face, his fingers lingering on the soft skin of her cheek. Her skin was so pale, like moonlight or fine white porcelain, the dark sweep of her eyelashes and the deep rose of her full mouth stood out in deep contrast against the lightness of her skin. He let his fingertips trail lightly over her soft mouth and across one pale cheek marveling at its softness, at how beautiful she was. As if he could not help himself and before he even realized his own actions Shuten leaned forward and touched his mouth to hers, his eyes drifting closed as he felt the impression of her lips against his. Shuten felt almost dizzy, shimmering light spread throughout his entire body and suddenly… exploded painfully in his head. He winced and pulled back, clutching at his temple, his eyes flew open as he suddenly realized why it hurt so much and looked into pale gray depths filled with murderous outrage; her hand still balled into the fist that she had slammed into the side of his head.

"owwww." He complained rubbing at his temple and meeting her scowl with one of his own.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She shouted all signs of her earlier infirmity gone as she struggled to sit up, wincing in pain as she did so.

"Lay back down." Shuten commanded placing a hand on her shoulder and forcing her onto her back once more, wanting to laugh at the fire that leapt into her eyes. "Rest here for a moment."

"Why so you can force yourself on me some more!?" She yelled while taking another swing at him. He caught her fist easily in his own and held it, catching her other hand when she angrily swung at him again. "Let go of me you four-hundred year old pervert!"

His eyes narrowed as he stared down at her, watching the fire continue to blaze in her eyes; always unwavering, always steadfast and always so beautiful. How many times had he gazed into her eyes and been met by this same look? Too many to count, he realized, everywhere he went he saw her eyes blazing as they were now, even haunting his dreams. He was tired of her haunting his dreams, he was tired of having to fight the urge to give in and allow his every move to be dictated by her whim, her desires, but most of all, he was tired of denying himself the feel, the taste of her mouth.

"Is that really what you want me to do Konoyuki…" He whispered smoothly as he leaned forward and pinned her captured hands to the ground above her head. He noticed her eyes widening as he continued his question. "To let you go?"

She did not utter a word merely stared back at him her eyes growing even wider and Shuten made a mental note to himself that he might just have found a way to finally get the last word in. He could feel her pulse racing against his fingers where he held her wrists.

"I think you really want me to do…" His voice dropping even lower as he leaned ever closer, his lips only a hair's breadth away from hers. "Is this."

He felt her sharp inhale as his lips brushed against hers and the warm breath that escaped her mouth as she exhaled slowly while he stroked her soft lips with his own. He kissed the corner of her mouth softly, his eyes holding hers as she continued to stare at him as his lips continued their tribute to hers he could feel her begin to relax, her struggle to break free of his hold ceased, still he held them.

It was like heaven when he felt her trembling mouth moving against his, slowly, hesitantly at first but moving, encouraging and irresistible. He felt the light scrape of her teeth on his bottom lip and her tongue darting out to tease his, he answered her call and she moaned at the feel of his tongue in her mouth. He loosed his hold on her pinned arms, his hands moving slowly, exploring the length of her arms, his fingers lightly tracing the outline of her jaw, his hands rest gently on each side of her face, their kiss deepening when her own fingers found purchase in his hair. His fingers explored further, traveling lightly to the sensitive skin of her neck, his lips abandoning hers followed the same path. He brushed aside the collar of her blouse and pressed his lips against the hollow of her throat, the moan she elicited encouraged him further and he trailed kisses along the deep V of bare skin where he'd unbuttoned her blouse earlier. His hands slid down the front of her blouse cupped her breasts through the thin fabric; he was elated when she reacted by arching her back beneath him, pressing herself into his hands.

"Shuten doji." Hearing her whisper his name was like a drug and his mouth returned to hers once more, her kiss as fierce as his own and driving him over the edge of reason. He slipped his hand inside the opening of her shirt, his fingers on fire as he now cupped her naked breast in his hand, eliciting the same reaction out of her as he had earlier. She felt, as he knew she would, soft and athletic, delicate and strong, she was a contradiction of herself and with each part of her he touched it only made him want more of her. His free hand made quick work of the remaining buttons on her blouse and he quickly brushed aside the fabric of her shirt, his hands slipping around and underneath her lifting her toward his seeking mouth. She gasped as his mouth closed over her breast, her fingers clutching in his hair, pulling at it almost painfully.

"Shuten doji." She whispered his name next to his ear, he moaned his pleasure at hearing it but continued to explore with his mouth.

"Shuten doji!" The insistent pull on his hair accompanied by her sharp tone made him lift his head, she looked regretful and unsatisfied and it made him want to pleasure her beyond reason. He brought his hand over her shoulder and trailed his fingers lightly across her collarbone smiling as she shivered, he leaned forward and brushed his lips over the same spot.

"What is it Konoyuki?" He whispered feeling her shiver again as his breath tickled her skin. "Do you want me to stop?"

He continued to kiss her throat as she failed to speak for several moments.

"Yes." She finally whispered. "And no."

"Which is it Konoyuki." He teased her laughing lightly. "You can't have it both ways."

"I want you to stop." She whispered with what sounded to Shuten like embarrassment and as she started to scoot away from him he grabbed her hands preventing her from doing so.

"If that's what you want Konoyuki." He assured her, his fingers lifting to button the front of her shirt, he climbed to his knees and straightened her collar and then pulled her sweater back over her shoulders and buttoned it as well. He looked into her over bright eyes that stared up at him, not understanding the confusion and fear in their depths but feeling the need to comfort her. He brushed her hair back from her face and leaned forward to place a kiss on her cheek, his hand slipped into her hair, his fingers caressing the back of her neck as he whispered near her ear. "I hope I haven't made you do anything you didn't want." 

"Iie." She shook her head, her voice breathless and her fingers clenching in the fabric of his shirt at his shoulders. "It's not that I didn't want to, it's just that…"

"Yes?" He urged her to continue when she paused.

"It's just that," her hands slid down to his chest and pushed him away from her, climbing to her feet as she did so, grimacing at the ache in her body from Korin's surfacing. "Despite what you think… this is more than I'm used to… and more than I'm ready for."

She stared down at him for several minutes, an uncomfortable smile appearing on her mouth as he frowned in confusion unable to guess at what she was hinting. _'Despite what he thought'_, what the hell did that mean? He wondered dragging his eyes away from hers so he could think. And what did she mean by _'more than I'm used to'_? They had hardly done anything at all… 

Like a ton of bricks it hit him and it was fortunate that he was already on the ground because he might have fallen down if he'd been standing. She couldn't possibly be… he returned his eyes, wide with shock to hers and she knew he had guessed and guessed correctly he surmised as she nodded her head at the question in his eyes. She held his eyes a moment longer and then he noticed an embarrassed blush covering her cheeks and she turned away. As if that wasn't enough of a shock he noticed her open her hand and the small orb that held Korin within it lifted from the ground and into her hand. He blinked and gave his head a slight shake as if to clear it of the delusion he was experiencing, he'd never seen anyone do that, even he couldn't do that; just how strong was she? He sighed in resignation as he climbed to his feet and made to follow her, the feel of her was forever branded upon him now, she owned him until he death, beyond that even.

"Damn you." He growled fixing the sky with a gimlet eye as he thought of the monk then quickly made to catch up with Konoyuki.

---

Hiko could do no more than gape openly at the small glowing orb laying on the white silk padding of the box that Shuten doji had given him so many months ago. He picked the orb up and held it in the palm of his hand marveling at how it grew warm and glowed brighter, it was just like his sisters only instead of green this one had a purple hue to it.

What did it mean? He wondered. He knew there were only five Yoroiden Samurai Troopers and therefore he could not be one of them. He recalled something Naaza had said while they'd stood and watched his sister collapse after she had called Korin, '_…as happened to all of them, himself included.'_ Could it be that just like his sister, Naaza, Anubis and Shuten doji all had armor? Yori that was separate from that of the Yoroiden Samurai Troopers, separate but the same? His eyes widened further as the orb grew momentarily brighter. 

All this time, he'd continued to work so hard to become stronger, knowing that he could never be as strong as those he wanted to protect, his sister, Sayuri, Shiro and the others; all this time the power to surpass them lay within his reach. If he'd only opened the box back then, when Shuten doji had first given it to him, just after his parents had… he swallowed hard hating the memory of that day and finished the thought… after the funeral.

He gasped as the orb pulsed in the palm of his hand, just as his sister described Korin doing. When her emotions were running high she had said and he now understood exactly what she meant. It pulsed again and again and soon it was in time with the beating of his heart. He could hear a soft wail in the distance, the sound seeming to grow louder, like a great crescendo as it surrounded him. He could feel wind whipping about him as if he were in the center of a great storm, powerful beyond measure, offering itself up to him.

__

Is this what you seek? It whispered to him seductively.

__

Yes. He answered silently smiling as he felt the power caressing him. _Yes._

"Hiko!" His eyes snapped open to stare into the wide disbelieving gaze of his sister who stood before him. He looked quickly to his hand and he heard her gasp as she too gazed at the small orb he held. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, now filled with worry and something else, something he could not quite put his finger on; sorrow maybe? Before he could decide she was moving closer to him, her arms going about him as she held him in a light embrace.

"Hiko." She whispered softly almost sympathetic and still clearly worried.

"Oneesan?" He questioned her reaction but when she failed to say anything more and merely held him he put his arms around her waist and returned the embrace. He didn't know why she would be worried; he could understand her shock and surprise but why would she be worried? He gripped the orb tightly in his hand, knowing that he would become as strong as she with his own armor and make certain that she never had to worry about him again.

A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth as a word suddenly drifted to life in his thoughts. Nin. 

==================================================================

Can you believe that cliffhanger? I'm terrible I know, maybe not, I doubt if anyone's even reading this old thing anymore. Next chapter is going to be filled with lots more Hiko, I'm going to enjoy toying with him like I did with Nasuti in Betrayal. Bwah ha ha ha. I'm evil I know.

Maybe I'll even let Shuten get a little more action with Yuki. I might get them to the Youjukai by next chapter as well, who knows.

Oh, sorry about that almost 'chipper' Anubis, yuck, I don't know what got into me. I got rid of him however and I think I can live with myself now that I have. 

For Shin's son's name I kind of made a little pun, Mizuko (water kid) Mizu = water, Ko = kid. Ah well, I thought it was funny. 

As always, comments are welcome.


	5. Things change

I hate this chapter, it sucks… All the disclaimers I stated in the past apply.

Hiko groaned at the ache of his over taxed muscles, making even the simple task of collapsing into bed painful, he had practiced beyond measure today certain that he could outlast Shuten. He had thought he was doing well, had felt Shuten wearing down, getting slower with each pass and when Hiko could no longer contain his victorious smile from appearing Shuten had leveled him. He was sent sprawling across the floor, losing his weapon and his dignity as he realized that Shuten had been toying with him the entire time. Hiko berated himself for not having the sense to know better, how could he expect to best Shuten, the man had over four hundred years on him. He mentioned this to Shuten when the older man started to lecture him on everything he did wrong and Shuten then did something Hiko would have never believed of his sensei; he laughed at him. Not just a little either and Hiko could only stare at him and frown, feeling further humiliation at this unexpected reaction. The laughter stopped almost as abruptly as it started, Shuten's brows creasing in a deep frown, his voice turned serious as he spoke. _'I held this same advantage over your father.'_ He had told him quietly almost wistfully. _'Yet I have scars to prove how little it mattered in a fight with him.'_ After a short awkward silence in which Hiko was aware of Shuten's regret at having mentioned this past with his father, he mumbled an incoherent excuse and left the dojo.

Hiko stood for several moments, a thousand questions coming to life in his head; he thought he should leave Shuten be but found he could not and so left the dojo in search of him. He spied him from the kitchen window, sitting at the edge of the dock, staring out at the lake and Hiko headed out after him. Shuten made no attempt to acknowledge him as he sat quietly beside him on the dock, the water lapping against the large pylons beneath the dock strangely soothing.

Hiko would never forget the words spoken to him that afternoon; the conversation would be forever burned in his mind. He rolled over onto his back; his head sank deep into his pillow as he stared up at the ceiling, hearing Shuten's voice in his head as if they were having the conversation once more.

'I've always thought your mother's house a very beautiful place. I could never figure out how it managed to remain unscathed during the war.' Shuten whispered whimsically, his voice changing to deep self reproach as he continued. 'Certainly _I_ had nothing to do with it.'

He turned then and met Hiko's pleading gaze, the small smile that had momentarily appeared on Shuten's face disappeared as he acknowledged what was being asked of him with a slight nod then turned back to the lake and stared in silence for several minutes.

'It's true Toyohiko.' Shuten sighed heavily. 'Your father and I were once enemies, he would have gladly killed me given the chance and I… on many occasions, attempted to take his life.'

Hiko chewed at his bottom lip, his feet swung in unison where they hung over the end of the dock above the water, while he thought about what Shuten said. Shuten had no reason to lie to him, yet he found it very hard to believe this about his father.

'Demo… he was always so gentle, so calm, I cannot believe that he would want to kill anyone.'

'You are right of course.' Shuten answered after several minutes of silence had convinced Hiko that he would not. 'It was not in your father's nature to want to kill anyone. He would fight to protect the Earth and those he loved but the death of his enemy was never his goal. Even so, he did indeed want to kill me.'

'Naze?' Hiko asked why urgently, what had Shuten done to make his father this angry? 'Naze, Shuten doji-san?'

'Because I…' he turned away again and instead of looking out at the lake he closed his eyes, he seemed to be searching for the right words. 'Because I… I took something that belonged to him, something that he loved very much.'

Hiko was silent again; his teeth once more sinking into his lip as he wondered exactly what it could have been that Shuten had stolen from his father. He was not a materialistic man and Hiko could not imagine even one of his possessions meaning so much to him that he would take another person's life for it. 

'After you changed, after you were on the same side as Otousan.' Hiko asked after a long pause. 'Did you give it back? What you took from him I mean?'

'No.' Shuten answered shaking his head slightly his eyes now opened and once again gazing out at the lake. 'No, I did not return it, I did not have to.'

Shuten's mouth curved in that small, self-derisive smile he'd seen so often on the older man's face as he continued. 'In the end, no matter what I did, what belonged to Korin no Seiji would return to him.' 

Hiko wanted to ask Shuten what it was that he'd taken from his father; he knew it had to be something that he loved a great deal. However, Shuten had carefully avoided mentioning what the object was and so Hiko refrained from asking, knowing that it was something the older man did not wish to reveal.

'So.' Shuten's voice pulled him from his thoughts. 'What do you think of your sensei now?'

Shuten's tone was light and he'd asked his question in an off hand manner, even so Hiko did not fail to realize how anxiously Shuten awaited his answer. He had taken a chance telling him what he did, not knowing whether Hiko would still harbor the same respect and friendship that he'd felt for Shuten almost from the very beginning. Hiko climbed to his feet and Shuten stared up at him from his seated position making no attempt to stand.

'You did not have to admit to me that you were once my father's enemy… but I'm glad you did.' He smiled at the older man. 'The past is simply that Shuten doji-san, I do not think any less of you because of it, the darkness that you once belonged to is gone, you, my father and the others rid the Earth of it before I was born.'

There was a long pause and Hiko watched Shuten's brows furrow, he looked as though he were struggling with the need to tell him something and dreading doing so.

'But a new evil is on the rise Toyohiko.' Shuten whispered hesitantly. 'Those who seek to harm are growing restless and will soon come for your world again, as well as mine.'

Hiko could not help the chill that ran through him at the gravity of Shuten's words. He'd been told of this weeks ago, that the Yoroiden Samurai Troopers would be called upon to fight once more. The message had been clear back then but he had not sensed this urgency from Shuten then. Was Shuten worried that he would not be able to fight against the evil coming, that he would be too weak before the battle started? 

'I know you and the others see me as a gentle person Shuten doji-san, my dependence upon my sister for protection in the past was enough to convince everyone how little I could be counted on in times of trouble.' Hiko decided to set him straight. 'My father was a gentle person as well, I am like him in that way and I will be like him when it comes time to fight too. I will be stronger than him and no one will take any of the things that I love from me; not Oneesan, not Sayuri-san, not you and not Earth.'

When Hiko finished speaking a small smile curved the corners of Shuten's mouth before he turned away to look out onto the lake once more then quietly told him, 'I never failed to see how strong you were Toyohiko.'

Hiko smiled at Shuten's back then turned and made his way back to the house.

----

Hiko winced and his breath hissed through his clenched teeth as he reached for the box on his bedside table. Falling back onto his pillow as he opened it and removed the small orb that rest inside. He did this everyday, it had become a ritual of sorts; at the end of each day he would hold it in his hand, feel the power it contained, power that was to be his. Power that would make him strong enough to defeat anyone.

Once again Shuten's words filled his head_, 'because I took something that belonged to him, something that he loved very much.'_ Hiko felt the orb pulse in his hand and watched the color deepen to almost dark purple. 

"No one will ever take anything that I love." He promised clutching the orb tightly in his hand as he spoke his vow aloud, just as he had to Shuten earlier. He opened his hand and felt the light pulse against his fingertips and smiled.

As his sister had promised, she had told no one of his discovering that he too was the bearer of a yori, although not one of the Yoroiden Samurai Troopers he was like them, his armor no doubt cut from the same source. He had no idea who the warrior was that had donned the yori before him although he was certain it must have belonged to one of those who fought along side Shuten, Naaza and Anubis. One of the warriors who sought to conquer the Earth and then changed sides and aided in saving it, giving his life in the process. 

He and Yuki talked at great length about each other's yori, she had described in detail what it felt like to actually call the armor, how it got easier each time she had done it since that first time a few weeks earlier. She had told him that under no circumstances was he to call his yori in the house as he had nearly done without realizing it, apparently she had almost done the same thing and Shuten had told her that she would have leveled the entire place if she had. Hiko could well believe it after seeing how much power she had generated in the woods that time he had seen her.

She had never discouraged him from wanting to call the yori but he could tell by the look in her eyes that she was worried about him doing so and despite all his attempts to ease her mind the look never went away. There was something else that seemed to be troubling her as well; she had taken to watching over him, not as she had done before. She now watched him as if he were about to step into a web of trouble, as if at any moment he would turn to glass, shatter and break apart. Often after practice he would turn to exit the dojo to find her standing in a discreet corner, her eyes fixed on him with that strange expression of impending doom in her eyes. If his practice had taken him outdoors, when he walked back toward the house he would see her standing on the balcony, her arms folded across her chest as if hugging herself, warding off her own fear. What she feared he could only guess at and he often found himself whispering silent promises that he would get stronger so she did not have to fear for him, so that she did not have to watch over him. He thought it was perhaps because of the time of year, of what this time of year will represent to her and to him for the rest of their lives. He knew that he could certainly not bear to lose her, not after losing his mother and father and he could not bear to think of what it would do to her if something happened to him, if she was left on the Earth to carry on alone. He knew that she would never smile again, something that rarely happened after since their parents died and occurred even less now that the anniversary of that event was approaching.

"Oneesan." He whispered to the purple orb that pulsed in his hand. "You don't have to be afraid for me."

----

Yuki carefully avoided the sharp gaze of Shuten as she announced her decision not to accompany them into town. She'd gotten quite good at avoiding him since their brief 'encounter' in the forest after the first time she'd called Korin and he had not failed to notice her efforts. At first he had continued to pursue her company, trying to get her to talk to him privately, trying to touch her not intimately like before, just little touches; like holding her hand, toying with her hair or resting his hand on her shoulder. She had shunned all his attentions, finding one excuse after the other to avoid such contact. She was confused and him being near only confused her more, she didn't understand what happened in the forest, how she had gone from hating him one moment and wanting to share her body with him the next. 

Ignoring the continued efforts to cajole her into going from Sayuri and Anubis, as well as the general protest of the rest of those gathered at the breakfast table, Yuki climbed to her feet and left the room. She retreated to her bedroom where she dressed in her practice clothes and after she was certain everyone had left the house, she made her way to the dojo. She went over move after move after move, perfecting each as she did so. Fatigue had begun to set in and her mind began to wander, mostly in the direction of her brother. She knew it would not be long before he called his armor to him, she could almost feel the desire burning in him each time she looked at him and that desire was growing rapidly. She wanted to be happy for him, she wanted to be excited at their having this wondrous thing that they could share with each other but she could not help the feeling of dread that filled her each time she thought of his armor. She could not explain how or why but she somehow knew that this was what her father had warned her about all those months ago in her 'dream'. There was nothing in her father's words that made any mention of armor; in fact, the entire warning had been so vague that it could be construed to fit any situation. 'Your brother is special Konoyuki, …unlike you and the others his strength is not a virtue and you must be there to guide him.' _Definitely vague._ She thought as she made her way to a bench and sat down. It had crossed her mind on several occasions to ask Shuten about the armor but she had promised Hiko that she would not tell anyone that he'd discovered it. Besides, she did not want to ask Shuten for anything after what happened, the further she separated herself from him the better. She did not like the way he made her feel, or rather, she did like the way he made her feel and that she did not like. 

__

What the hell am I saying? She reprimanded herself silently. _He's got me so confused I can't even make sense to myself anymore. _

Deciding the only way to rid herself of thoughts about Shuten was to fatigue herself even more, she ran back to her room changed into something suitable before making her way outside to run. She took the path that went around the lake, thinking that she just might need to complete the entire distance in order to stop her thoughts of Shuten. She really had no idea what had come over her in the forest, allowing him to kiss her, kissing him back even and then… she felt a tingle rush through her body as she remembered him touching her. She could not look at him in the same way anymore, she had tried to recreate the animosity between them but each attempt fell flat; she couldn't maintain it when she met that look in his eyes. That look of hopeful pleading, that told her she was everything to him, that she hung the moon and stars in his sky and begged her not to take them away. That look that promised he would always be with her, would always protect her and the things she loved, that he loved those same things because he loved her. She did not want to recognize that look; she did not want him to love her. Because it made it far too easy for her to love him in return knowing that he did and that she would not allow. He did not belong to her world and she would never leave it to be with him, when he returned to wherever this place he, Anubis and Naaza had all come from she would be alone with her feelings. Yuki knew she could not withstand the grief of losing another person she loved, she had reached her limit with her parent's deaths. That was another thing… her parents. It was fast approaching the time of year that she knew would bring tears and heartache for the rest of her life and could feel it building in herself and in her brother, with each day that passed. The anniversary of 'the day', she imagined would be almost as bad as 'the day' was and she wished, not for the first time that someone would show up at her bedside the moment she woke up on the anniversary of 'the day' and just hold her. That's what her father would do; Yuki wouldn't even need to get out of bed that day, she could lay in her pajamas tucked into her father's arms as he lay stretched out on the bed beside her. He would not say a word and after a time her mother would come in with tea, which she would set on the bedside table before walking around the bed to mirror her father. She would always talk though, her soft musical voice that would butcher even the simplest jokes until Yuki and her father would have no choice but to laugh at her. She doubted there was anyone in the world capable of making her laugh on the anniversary of 'the day', but she would certainly welcome them if they could. She knew that all the members of her extended family were planning on some sort of gathering. They probably planned to lend their support and make certain that she and Hiko were not left alone to wallow in the melancholy of 'the day'. It was not something Yuki particular wanted for herself and she knew that, with the exception of Sayuri, Hiko would not want to be with anyone either. Perhaps the two of them could just leave town for a few days.

A sudden tingling filled her senses and she could feel a wave of energy approaching and then washing over her, like water from the sea washes over the sand. Her feet came to a sudden halt mid stride and she turned in the direction from which it came, she could see nothing as she peered through the trees toward the lake and then a flash of magenta streaked through her mind and she felt momentarily dizzy. She dropped to one knee, losing her footing as the world momentarily tilted on its axis.

"Hiko!" She whispered somehow knowing it was him and once her head cleared she shot up from the ground and raced toward the energy source she could still feel surrounding the area. Her oxygen starved lungs were stinging with the strain of her all out run to reach her brother, yet when she finally laid eyes on him she could barely draw a breath. Her eyes grew wide with shock as he stood before her in his armor, power radiated around him and she was forced to look up at him as his armor had made him taller. 

He had not noticed her yet as he faced the other way and she wondered if he was experiencing that same inner struggle she had contended with when she'd first called Korin. She remained silent and watched from where she stood, not wanting to interrupt but ready to do so if she needed to; she felt the small orb in her pocket pulse. As if he felt it as well Hiko turned and her eyes grew wide as she stared at his armor. He looked ominous, the sharp planes of his helmet in the imperial purple, one eye covered over with black plating, as if mimicking the way his hair fell over one eye. The entire body of his armor was outfitted with a myriad of weapons; scythes, sticks, knives. He took a menacing step toward her and she could not help but take a step back, she could not see anything of her brother in the figure before her except the deep blue of his one visible eye.

His lips curled up in a small humorless smile and he took another step toward her. She backed away further and hesitantly called his name. He halted and she suddenly felt the presence of her father and then the sound of his voice whispered through her head.

__

'He is not your brother.' She grew tense at the near growl from her father. 

__

Not my brother? She wondered. Who then…?

__

'Do not let that madman take your brother Konoyuki.' Her father's voice now urgent. _ Bring him back! Hayaku!'_

But how? She wondered. _How do I bring him back? _ Her mind raced at her father's urgency. She contemplated calling Korin dismissing that idea; if he was indeed possessed by his armor, calling her own would most likely only provoke him. She needed to think of something quickly, this thought compounded as she watched him slowly lift a scythe from the many that were arranged almost decoratively across his back. He brought it forward and stepped even closer, lowering it so the tip of it touched her shoulder.

"Shall I reopen your old wound?" He asked her in a voice as cold as ice, then switched his scythe to touch her other shoulder and spoke again. "Or would you prefer a new one on the other side to match?"

She hadn't the slightest idea what her brother was talking about, not even her brother really, it was his armor. Just like Korin had threatened to seduce her with its power so was her brother's armor seducing him. It was the same, but it wasn't; she had not sensed this coldness or rage from Korin's power, nor had she sensed Korin as a single entity but many merged into one. She wondered why her father didn't try to talk him down like he had her and the thought had no sooner formed than her father's voice whispered in her head once more, _'I cannot.'_ He spoke.

"What will you do lady Nasuti…" Yuki lifted her head sharply at hearing her mother's name, he pressed the tip of the scythe into her shoulder again, punctuating each word as he spoke with enough pressure to draw blood as it lightly pierced her skin. "I can feel Korin nearby but it appears that neither he or Shuten are planning on showing up here to save you."

Why had he addressed her mother with a title, she was not of nobility in Japan or France? Who was this person that had bore this armor? 

"You are still as beautiful as I remember." His other hand whipped out and clamped down on her shoulder, preventing her from taking another step back. She felt the cold metal scythe touch the back of her neck and she knew that all he had to do was apply the slightest pressure and she would be decapitated. He lowered his face to hers; he was so close that she could feel his breath on her face. 

"Hiko." She called to her brother pleading. He halted momentarily and she hoped that her calling his name was getting through until he suddenly laughed; a wicked, sinister laugh that held no humor.

"Who are you calling now lady Nasuti?" He taunted her. "Some new mortal lover who will be no more able to protect you than the child whose life I took?"

His laughter continued and Yuki found herself filling with anger at this vile being that corrupted her kind and gentle brother. She knew her brother was in there and she had to reach him and so she resorted to a tactic their mother had used that had never failed to bring him to attention in the past.

"Toyohiko Date!" She barked at him just as sternly as their mother had when he was in trouble. "Stop this at once!"

He jolted immediately, his body straightening and his one visible eye blinking in confusion behind his helmet. He glanced around the area, perhaps only just then realizing where he was or what was happening before he turned back to look at her

"Oneesan…" He whispered when his eyes met hers, his voice was faltering as his energy was quickly draining, and the armor was evaporating into a glow that seemed to be converging into the palm of his hand. She could see that he no longer held the scythe. He was now holding the small orb that was so much like her own. His eyes began to flutter closed and she noticed a small amount of blood near his left eye, she caught him in her arms before he could fall but he was too heavy for her to do more than soften his landing on the forest floor. She climbed to her knees and held him against her. She could feel him breathing, his chest rising and falling in a quick, shallow rhythm at first, eventually slowing as his lungs satisfied themselves and she could see the blood from his left eye plainly now, almost like the streak of a tear. She had no idea where it could have come from other than inside his helmet, she had kept her eye trained on the scythe he held and knew that he had not hit himself with it, besides, while he was armored up, that eye was covered. She needed to get him home but knew there was no way she could carry him. She would have to wait until he regained consciousness and then help him walk back and so she held his head in her lap and stroked his hair the same as their mother had done when he was a small boy, waiting for him to recover.

__

Otousan? She called silently to her father. 

__

I was Korin. He answered the question that she had not needed to ask. _The bearer of Nin cannot hear me_.

__

Nin. Endurance. Her father's words again plagued her memories_, '…he will be able to endure a great deal but unlike you and the others his strength is not a virtue…' _Her arms tightened around her brother's shoulders as she held him, staring at his peaceful face Yuki felt at odds wondering who she would be facing when he awoke. Her kind, gentle brother or the merciless soldier within her brother's armor… and how was she to keep her friends safe from that monster?

----

Shuten tuned out the bickering of the others as they walked along the city sidewalk in search of a place to eat. Something in one of the storefront windows caught his eye and intrigued he moved closer. Jewelry of all things, which was something he'd never cared two straws for in the past. This was different thought, a dark gray Tahitian Pearl surrounding by several small diamonds that sparkled under the harsh light beating down on the ring. It reminded him of the first time he'd seen Konoyuki's eyes; dark with emotion and brimming with tears as she stood beside her brother at her parent's funeral. She had captured his gaze and held it, daring him to look away while at the same time not allowing him to do so. She had stood unafraid while showing him and anyone else that dared look, the sorrow within her deep gray eyes. It occurred to him that he might purchase it for her but thought better of it as he recalled her blatantly ducking out of their outing to avoid being with him. The bickering intruded upon his nerves once again and he was on the verge of telling them all to 'shut the hell up', when he felt a sudden surge of power. His steps faltered and he turned back to face the direction of the countryside, to the house that had become his home since returning to the Ningenkai so many months ago.

_What was that?_ He wondered, turning sharply when Anubis moved up beside him, his eyes narrowed in the same direction. It felt oddly familiar and he surmised it must be Korin again, although it felt slightly different than the times he'd felt Konoyuki's charge ups before.

Shuten gave Anubis a knowing look then turned and walked in the opposite direction. He searched for someplace discreet enough and upon finding a deserted alley he stepped into it, held his right arm out wide and after a few moments the monk's staff appeared in his hand. The light clanging of the rings, a brief flash of light and he was standing in what had become very familiar forest, his eyes fell on Konoyuki, kneeling on the ground only a few yards in front of him, her armor no where to be seen.

"Konoyuki!" He called to her, she jumped slightly at the sound of his voice then turned to look at him, her eyes wide with worry. "Are you all right?"

"Shuten doji-san! Help me… Hiko… he… " He felt the sting of her formality only momentarily as he caught sight of the streaks of blood that stained her bare arms and hurried over to her. Only after reaching her side did he notice an unconscious Hiko, sprawled out on the forest floor, his head in her lap. He checked the boy over quickly, making certain he was breathing regularly, noting the small trickle of dried blood that came from his left eye, he frowned.

__

What the hell had happened? He wondered. Shuten was certain that it was caused when she called Korin, although it made no sense for her to have let loose enough to harm her brother, she'd gotten so much stronger and controlled her armor with a precision that rivaled her father. It did nothing to explain the wounds on her shoulders either. Perhaps the younger sibling had caught her off guard while she was practicing with her no-dachi and stepped within her reach. That made no sense either as they were always so aware of the other that a mistake such as that was virtually impossible. Shuten was on the verge of asking her to explain it when he heard her quiet voice, timid and pleading.

"Is he… is he going to be all right?" She stammered.

Shuten lifted his eyes to meet hers, they were filled with such fear and implored him so that the questions he burned to ask her, disappeared.. His eyes softened and he reached up and brushed her hair back away from her face then gently cupped her cheek.

"He'll be fine." Shuten whispered offering her a small reassuring smile. "We need to get him home."

Her smile returned and he could not look away, he brushed his thumb gently across her skin and the movement brought the moment to an end as she lowered her eyes to her brother once again. Shuten stood up with the staff, instructed Konoyuki to hold tightly to her brother and watched her eyes grow wide as the effects of teleportation began.

---

Shuten stood within the confines of Toyohiko's bedroom and watched Konoyuki tend to her brother, she had flat out refused to explain what had happened, he had pleaded with her to no end, she had held firm in her resolve not to tell him. Her walls were back in place, she was distancing herself from him again, he could see the curiosity in her eyes, the questions she burned to ask about the staff that had disappeared once they arrived at the house. She refused to give in and continued with each moment that passed to push him further and further away.

It had been weeks since their encounter in the forest after she had first called Korin, when he'd first kissed her, touched her and since then… nothing. With the exception of the smile she had given him earlier today he had not received a knowing glance from her beautiful eyes or a smile from her soft lips or even so much as a word, kind or otherwise. She went out of her way to avoid his company and when he was unavoidable she would lower her chin keeping her eyes hidden behind the curtain of her hair before seeking the earliest possible escape. He was at a loss as to what to do; for the first time in his life he knew what he wanted, could see it clearly without doubt, without hesitation and it all began with the girl before him now. What was he to do then? Wait in silence? Continue with his efforts? 

His eyes narrowed as she rubbed her hands up and down her arms to ease the chill. He could see her shivering as she sat upon her brother's bed and continued her vigil. Shuten had tried to insist that she change into clothing that was warmer as she was still wearing what she called her 'running clothes'; two garments that were made up of mere scraps of fabric and left so much of her skin exposed it was almost indecent. She would hear nothing of it, refusing to leave her brother's side even for a moment. Maybe if he persisted she would give in.

"Konoyuki." He quietly repeated what he'd told her earlier, watching her raise her head at the sound of his voice. "You need to change into something warmer, I'll watch your brother while you do so."

"No." She answered quietly, not even turning around to look at him.

Shuten could not keep from sighing aloud as he was met with another dead end, another rebuke. She refused to give even an inch with him. His thoughts were interrupted at the sudden ringing of the contraption that everyone used to communicate with others in different locations. It rang several times and he felt like shouting at the top of his lungs as he'd heard nearly every human staying in this house shout at one time or another, 'SOMEONE ANSWER THAT DAMNED THING!' Although, he really didn't understand what they meant by that statement, he was compelled none the less.

Much to his relief Konoyuki picked the small half of the machine up and held it to the side of her face, putting an end to the incessant ringing.

"Hai?" She answered the telephone and Shuten stared jealously at the easy smile that appeared on her face for the one she communicated with. "I'll see you in a few minutes then."

She set the small half of the device back with the other on the table and moved close to her brother again. She was silent for several minutes as she brushed his hair back from his face.

"That was Ryo Ojisan." She explained the phone call. "He will be over soon, the others are nearly to the house."

Shuten nodded and turned sharply toward the door as the sounds from downstairs and pounding feet announced their arrival. He could hear light footsteps racing up the stairs, followed by the sounds of heavier footsteps close behind, the first one to reach the door was Sayuri, her father coming up behind her. Touma met Shuten's eyes momentarily and could read the silent request to keep everyone else away for the time being, with a slight nod, the former bearer of Tenka turned and led the others back downstairs.

"Hiko…" Sayuri gasped at the sight of him, her fingers came up and covered her mouth and Shuten could see tears filling her eyes. He was thankful that the blood had been wiped from his eye before she saw it, as he could only imagine her reaction. She lifted her eyes from the unconscious boy to her friend, noticing immediately the blood that had dried in streaks down her arms. "Yuki, what happened?"

__

Yes Yuki, what did happen? Shuten reiterated silently, hoping that she would answer and knowing, even as she shook her head in reply to her friend that she would not answer.

Sayuri seemed a little taken back at her friend's reply, or lack of one but seemed to accept it and moved to stand next to her. 

"Will he be okay?" She asked hesitantly. Konoyuki remained silent, merely nodding her head in answer.

"He will be fine Sayuri." Shuten offered her some vocal reassurance. "If Ryo brings his wife she will confirm this I am sure."

Sayuri looked at him and smiled before stepping closer to Hiko's bedside. It was then that Shuten noticed a subtle change in Konoyuki, seating herself on her brother's bed when it was obvious that Sayuri had intended to occupy the very spot. It was as if she was intentionally placing herself between her brother and her friend. He did not miss the odd look Sayuri gave her friend before concluding that it was an accident, she shrugged her shoulders and remained standing. Shuten found Yuki's behavior strange to say the least, why did she suddenly feel the need to stand between these two, she was always protective of her brother but he didn't think that included protecting him from Sayuri. Shuten's eyes narrowed, his brows coming together in a frown as the thought that maybe it wasn't her brother she was protecting, maybe it was her friend.

A small groan from the young man they were all worried about drew everyone's attention and Shuten watched as his sister climbed hastily to her feet and stood between the bed and her friend. Wondering briefly why she would feel the need to, before his attention was caught by another groan from Hiko, followed by one of his hands lifting toward his face, he rubbed at his eyes and then slowly, one at a time they opened, neither showing any damage. Still his sister hesitated approaching him while preventing her friend from doing likewise.

"Oneesan." He whispered when he turned to see her standing beside him, then noticing the blood on her arms he gasped. "Oneesan, what happened?"

"Hiko?" She queried hesitantly as if she wasn't sure that it was really him, puzzling Shuten further and her brother as well.

"The last time I looked!" He teased her and she smiled shaking her head then was nearly knocked aside as Sayuri's impatience got the better of her. Shuten watched the young man blush profusely as Sayuri sat on the edge of his bed, firing a million questions a minute at the poor kid and reprimanding him for making her worry about him. Shuten knew the young man really could not be happier as he was entirely smitten with the girl.

"Well." They all turned toward the door at the sound of Ryo's voice as he led his wife into Hiko's room. "It appears you could not allow your sister to long out do you Hiko-kun. This evens the score and I think the two of you have exhausted your visits from my wife. Neither one of you is allowed to get sick or injured for the rest of your lives. Got that?"

Hiko nodded at Ryo and Sayuri moved aside to allow the doctor to look at her patient.

"What happened to your shoulders Yuki-chan?" The doctor asked her as she looked over her brother. "Your uncle just said the score is even, if I have to look at you too then everything is thrown off again."

"It's nothing Obasan." Yuki answered quietly from the chair she had retired to after Sayuri had nearly sent her to the floor.

"Doesn't look like 'nothing'." She muttered absently. "Shuten will you take her in the other room and clean up those cuts on her arms before they get infected."

"Certainly, Sanada-san." Shuten stepped from the back of the room and moved to the doorway. He held out his hand to Yuki, who stared at him as if she would refuse, climbing to her feet only after everyone turned to look at her. Even the doctor momentarily forgot her young patient.

Shuten was surprised when she followed him out the door without protest, only hesitating briefly when he led her to his room.

Their communication was soundless, he waved his hand at the futon and she sat down, he lifted his index finger and she nodded that she would wait the single moment while he retrieved a washcloth. 

Yuki did not like sitting on Shuten's bed, it seemed too intimate an act for her to be entirely comfortable with and so when he stepped into his bathroom, she quietly slid off the edge and onto the floor, her back resting against the hard wooden frame. She did not miss the look he gave her when he returned with a wet washcloth and first aid kit. He recovered quickly however, giving a barely noticeable shrug before walking over to the bed and sitting down; they were still too close for comfort. After dropping the first aid kit onto the bed beside him, he reached forward and lifted her hand, pulling her toward him. Yuki thought he might actually try to kiss her and pulled back on her arm.

"I cannot reach your shoulder to clean it." He told her quietly and when it appeared, no doubt by the stupid, daydreaming, blank look she was wearing, that she didn't understand him, he explained further. "You have to move closer Konoyuki."

"Oh." Was the only reply she could summon, her cheeks turning pink at her stupidity. She had avoided this man like the plague and now here she was, voluntarily moving closer to him but with the same feeling of dread; dread and desire, dread because of her desire. She could feel something wash over her, something that made her want to lean toward him until their lips met and…

"Am I hurting you Konoyuki?" Shuten's voice interrupted her thoughts and she jerked slightly as if she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't.

"Huh?" _Another great reply you big Moron_. Yuki berated herself at displaying so little intelligence.

"Am I hurting you?" Shuten chuckled slightly as he softly repeated his question.

"Uh… no." _Three in a row_! She thought about how idiotic she was sounding after another brilliant reply. "Why do you ask?"

"You had a strange look on your face for a moment and I thought that maybe I was a little too rough with the washcloth." Shuten explained letting go of her arm. As he reached forward to lift her other arm Yuki made the biggest mistake of the evening; she looked up and locked eyes with Shuten. Their faces were mere inches apart and Yuki knew that he was about to kiss her, could feel it in every fiber of her being, so much so that her lips parted in anticipation.

"Gomen." Shuten whispered and the cold, wet washcloth on her skin was like water thrown in her face.

Yuki felt her face heat up as she quickly lowered her head, her chin nearly touched her chest as she tried to keep her eyes trained on the floor and her head cleared of thoughts about him. It was impossible; one of Shuten's legs was on either side of her, he was holding her wrist while he wiped the blood from her shoulder and although she could not see it, his face was just above hers. She could feel his breath against her hair; she could smell the scent of his clean skin and when he shifted just so, his long, red hair would brush against her, sending a thousand shivers of sensation through her. She heard him mumble something, which prompted her to look up. He set the washcloth aside and reached for the first aid kit, opening it up and taking a few items from inside. She continued to stare at him as he worked. He did not meet her eyes at all as he continued, pouring some medicinal liquid onto a cotton ball, lifting her arm again and leaning closer he wiped the medicine over her wound. Surprised at the sudden sting Yuki hissed and jerked her arm nearly out of his grasp. Seemingly just as surprised, Shuten looked up and again their eyes locked.

"I… I'm sorry." He muttered after several moments of silence. "I should have warned you."

Yuki could only nod silently at him. Staring at Shuten she was suddenly filled with the feeling as though something was welling up inside her, something she was afraid to keep contained within her but even more frightened to let loose. She had felt it earlier when he'd come to help her bring Hiko home, when he'd reassured her that he was going to be fine and she found herself staring into his eyes and unable to look away.

"May I continue?" Shuten asked and again she could do no more than nod. He gave a small smile and leaned forward again, his long hair falling forward also, blocking his eyes from her view. She felt the sting of the medicine again as he wiped the cotton ball over her wounds but did not flinch and did not make a sound. She was too preoccupied with wanting to brush his hair back from his face so that she could see his beautiful eyes again.

"Okay." He sat up suddenly as he finished with her arm, discarding the used cotton ball for a clean one and saturating it with the same anti-bacterial medicine as he had the other one. "Let's get to that other arm."

Yuki shifted slightly so that her other arm was closer to him and was barely able to keep from flinching when she felt his strong hand close around her arm, just above her elbow.

"The wounds appear to be slightly deeper on this arm." He explained while examining her shoulder. "It may sting a bit more than the other, okay?"

Again she nodded, not paying any attention to the fact that he was not looking at her and therefore, he did not see her reply. It finally dawned on her a moment later when Shuten lifted his eyes to hers expectantly. After a few moments of staring blankly back at him she muttered an affirmative and nodded her head again.

He was right; it did sting more, a great deal more. She tightened her hand into a fist and clenched her teeth against the stinging pain but was unable to keep from whimpering slightly. Then the pain was gone, everything was gone, the people in the next room, the house, the lake, then entire world was gone except the feel of Shuten's breath as he blew soothingly on her sensitive wounds. The feeling was overwhelming and ceased all too suddenly when he raised his head and she found herself once again drowning in his green eyes. She felt his thumb brush lightly against the skin on the inside of her arm where he still held it and she shivered. Again the feeling was overwhelming and again it ceased all too suddenly.

"I'm sorry Konoyuki." He whispered as he continued to hold her eyes captive in his own.

"Yuki." She answered after several moments. "Call me Yuki."

"Yuki…" He whispered her name almost experimentally a small smile on his lips. "I should not have done that. I am sorry."

"It's okay… I… it felt… nice." She whispered back and watched his smile disappear quickly at her words. He continued to meet her steadfast gaze for several moments before lifting his hand and resting it against her cheek. She leaned into his touch and felt the fingers that remained around her arm tighten slightly and loosen again almost immediately. He brushed his fingers lightly across her cheek, then through her long hair; she closed her eyes and let herself get lost in a sea of sensation. She felt his lips brush lightly against her forehead then her temple then her jaw. His lips continued their trail of feather light kisses until he reached the corner of her mouth and here her eyes fluttered open and gazed into his once more. Too impatient, Yuki did not bother waiting for Shuten, she pressed her parted lips against his and kissed him deeply, hearing his deep throated moan and feeling it as well. He pulled on her arm, bringing her closer to him as he returned her kiss. His mouth moved with tender desire over hers. Yuki raised herself to her knees, her hands resting briefly on Shuten's thighs before she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt him shiver and then he pulled her tighter against him, both his arms going over her shoulders and down her back, holding her to him as their kiss grew more fierce. 

The next few moments were a blur of sensation as Shuten kissed and caressed her. The tank top that she wore did not cover much more than was necessary for jogging, his hands taking full advantage. Yuki gathered her courage and slipped her hands beneath Shuten's sweater. When her fingers brushed lightly across his abdomen she felt him flinch beneath her touch. He pulled slightly away and stared down at her and afraid that she had done something wrong Yuki whispered an embarrassed apology and began to remove her hands from inside his shirt. She felt his hands cover hers through the fabric, halting their withdrawal. 

"I was merely surprised." Shuten whispered as he smiled at her.

She returned his smile and splaying her fingers out wide she placed them firmly against his skin. He flinched again, removed his hands that covered hers and placing them on either side of her face he leaned forward and resumed kissing her. Yuki's hands explored higher, brushing over his skin lightly as she moved her fingertips across his abdomen and up to his chest, then around to his back. She could feel every indent from every muscle; she could feel the scars of what must have been deep wounds and traced them with her fingertip. With each pass over his skin it made her want more, it made her want him more. Her hands and his began to move over each other with greater urgency, their kisses deepened and everything else was lost in the fog of desire that engulfed her. A few moments later Yuki was somewhat surprised to find Shuten still perched at the end of his bed, herself still kneeling on the floor in front of him and both of them without their shirts. Embarrassed at only just realizing her topless state, increasing exponentially as Shuten sat and stared at her without saying anything, Yuki crossed her arms in front of her, hiding as much of her nakedness as she could.

"Yuki." Shuten whispered and wrapped his arms about her, pulling her close as his mouth teased hers, the teasing soon came to an end as his kisses turned deep and lingering. Yuki felt the light pressure of his arms pulling her tighter against him, up from her knees and onto the bed. They ended up a tangle of arms and legs; her on top of Shuten and staring into his bottomless eyes. 

At that moment Yuki selfishly wanted only one thing in the entire world; for this man to love her, with his heart, with his body, with all the ways that one person can love another. It was not just her, for she could see clearly in his eyes that he understood and he knew how she felt because in the entire world, he wanted the same from her.

"Love me." She whispered after several minutes ticked by with neither of them uttering a single word.

"I intend to." He brushed her hair back from her face as he acknowledged her order, cupping either side of her face with his hands he gently coaxed her to lower her face to his. Rising up to meet her part way and settling back into the bed as their lips met.

Shuten's hands shook as he slowly caressed her bare back, he wanted to comfort her, put her at ease but it was difficult to ignore the feelings she invoked in him with her naked skin against his own. He had to force his hands to not move beyond the slight circles he traced on her back and the soft stroking of her hair. His mantra 'stay calm, stay calm, stay calm', on an endless repeat cycle in his head, barely kept him in control of himself. 

He was kidding himself; it wasn't working at all. His mantra was a complete waste of time against the feel of her naked breasts pressing against his chest, her trembling fingers in his hair and her lips against his own. She was driving him to the edge of unreason and most likely without realizing it.

__

She will know soon enough. Thought Shuten as his arms stilled their exploration, holding her as he rolled over and forced her back into the bed, pinning her hands above her head and refusing to release them. He kissed her deeply, passionately then abandoned her lips to press small kisses across her cheek to her neck and shoulder. He moved to her throat and then her collarbone. He trailed his fingertips lightly down her arms and then moved lower; he felt her flinch as one hand gently cupped her breast and his thumb brushed across her nipple. He felt her hands brushing against his hair as she had instinctively lowered her arms, he captured her wrists and pinned them at her sides, he kissed her briefly on the lips, on the neck and then lowered his head to capture one of her breasts in his mouth.

His name was a gasp on her lips; she arched her back, pressing herself against his seeking mouth. He felt her tugging incessantly at her hands and released them, the light hesitant feel of her fingers in his hair, accompanied by the occasional gasp when his teeth scraped her oversensitive skin was oddly hypnotic. 

"Shuten." She whispered his name and he moved his mouth over hers once more. He felt her lips move against his, he felt her warm breath and heard her soft whisper. "Aishiteru."

Everything in his life paled up to this moment, there was nothing he had ever desired more, nothing he had ever loved more, not even Nasuti and yet… he was unable to tell her, and unable to do anything other than stare at her with wide-eyed shock.

__

I love you; when had anyone ever whispered those words to him? No one, not once in four hundred years had he heard them. Nasuti had begrudgingly whispered some semblance of them once but only after she had resolutely decided to give him up. Now he was hearing them without doubt, without hesitation and he… was being an idiot.

As his eyes once again focused on the girl beneath him he could not miss the hurt confusion filling her eyes. He'd been so careless, so self involved that he had failed to consider what it must have cost her to make such a confession. Already she was withdrawing; her hands were pushing at his chest as she quickly tried to back away from him.

"Yuki… I." He began only to be cut off.

"Iie." She waved a hand at him as she scrambled off the bed, picked up her small shirt and began putting it back on, clumsy in her haste.

"Konoyuki, please…" He pleaded.

"No… no, I… I'm sorry, I should never have said…" She shook her head as she rambled on, at the same time struggling with her shirt. "I'm sorry."

She moved to the door and he scrambled off the bed to go after her. He placed a hand on her shoulder to prevent her from taking another step toward the door. She twisted away from his hand as if it had burned her skin. She turned to face him, pinning him with her bottomless eyes. "Please don't." Her voice as fragile as the look in her pale, gray eyes. They stared in silence for long moments until she asked him. "Who was the bearer of Nin?"

He was shocked into silence at the sudden turn of her questioning. He wanted to ignore her; he wanted to tell her that he loved her too, he wanted to hold her close, to kiss her, to feel her skin against his as he had moments ago. But he knew by the look in her eyes that she would not allow it. It was several moments before he realized what her question implied.

It wasn't Korin that had been called as he suspected earlier, it was Nin; Toyohiko had experienced the overwhelming power of his yori for the first time. Shuten was glad for it; the boy was beyond ready and his kind, gentle manner was a perfect match for using Nin wisely. But he could hear the nervousness in Konoyuki's voice; the underlying dread and he thought momentarily of his 'dream' with Nasuti and Korin no Seiji several months earlier. Surely there could be no cause for concern, Rajura had been under the influence of a powerful and twisted master; only those he loved influenced Toyohiko. 

Shuten's eyes moved to the small wounds on Konoyuki's arms but he brushed aside his momentary feeling of unease. It had to have been an accident, Toyohiko was constantly voicing his desire only to protect those he loved, to become stronger for them, not to conquer and rule and oppress others. No, Shuten firmly believed that Nin was safe with Toyohiko.

"Rajura." He answered. "His name was Rajura."

She turned and reached for the door.

"Yuki." He called her quietly everything in his voice begging her not to go. She ignored him, opened the door, walked through and closed it behind her. "I..."

----

Yuki wanted to cry as she made her way to her own room. She wanted to cry as she stripped off her running clothes, jumped in the shower and scrubbed her skin. All the while she held her tears at bay, choked down her desire to weep uncontrollably at the pain she was feeling. She turned her mind into a blank canvas, refusing to explore the events that had just happened or the person at the center of them. She had learned this trick quite well, had plenty of practice perfecting it after the death of her parents. She climbed out of the shower, toweled off, combed her hair, tied it back, dressed in her jeans and a small tee shirt and by the time she stepped from her room and headed down the hallway, she had her heart in check and her pain buried deep. She was normal again or so she would appear to all those who looked at her. 

She needed to find out all that she could about Rajura, she knew just who to start her questions with but first; she walked past the stairs and headed to her brother's room, she wanted to check on him. There was no sound on the other side of the door and very little light appeared from within, which made her think that he was probably asleep. Not wanting to wake him she slowly opened the shoji, just enough to peak inside. He was not alone and probably most happy about it as Yuki watched Sayuri lean down from where she sat on Hiko's bed and brushed his hair back from his face. It was a completely innocent gesture, still Yuki chose to misconstrue it.

"Well, well, well." She slid the door open and stepped inside her smile growing as Sayuri jumped up. She approached the bed and smiled at her brother. "Looks as though you have your favorite nurse here. And giving you special treatment by the looks of it."

"OneeSAN!" He stated with emphasis, letting her know he didn't appreciate her teasing.

"Urusai Yuki-chan!" Sayuri shook a fist at her.

The knowing blush both of them displayed spoke volumes, although Yuki was surprised to see it appear on her friend. She would have to keep a better eye on Sayuri; it appeared her feelings toward her younger brother were changing.

"How are you feeling?" Yuki asked her brother allowing them a break from her teasing.

"Other than a headache, I feel fine." He shrugged his shoulders. "My left eye seems a bit sensitive to the light, but San-san says she couldn't find anything wrong with it."

Yuki smiled at her brother's name for Ryo-Ojisan's wife. It had developed out of a young Hiko trying to say Sanada-san and only being able to come up with San-san. Once it had been accepted that she was Obasan it was too late, the deed had been done and to Hiko she would always be San-san and she only allowed it from him.

"I guess your armor is no longer a secret?" She commented and he nodded his head, then trying to keep the nervousness from her voice she asked. "How much of what happened do you remember?"

"I remember a sound, like screaming. It grew louder and louder and suddenly I felt as though something big hit me. Like a Tsunami or something." She noticed his brow starting to wrinkle a bit as he concentrated. "I can remember a voice."

"Yuki's voice?" Sayuri asked.

"No, I think it was a man." His brow furrowed further. "I can't remember exactly but I think it was a man and I seem to recall him thanking me."

"Thanking you?" Yuki asked curiously as she stepped closer.

"I think so…" He answered her distantly.

"What else did he say?" Yuki asked in a rush.

"I don't know." Hiko shrugged his shoulders. "The next thing I remember is seeing you in the forest and then I woke up here."

Yuki could see the slight film of sweat that had developed on her brother's face. She was asking too much of him, putting too much strain on him when he needed to rest. Smiling, she nodded then leaned forward and kissed his forehead.

"Next time you decide to power up let me know." She said lightly as she stepped away and moved toward the door. "I'd like to keep clear of all the stuff you stir up and send flying around."

"Yuki!" Her brother calling her made her stop and turn around before she stepped through the door. "Arigato yo!"

She smiled and inclined her head before leaving the room, closing the door behind her. She made her way downstairs and found the kitchen table crowded with Touma, Ryo, their wives, Anubis, Naaza and Shiro.

"Anubis-san." She addressed in a voice that commanded attention. They all stared at her in amazement, for in that moment as she stood facing them with her chin lifted and her back straight, she showed them the brightly burning presence she inherited from her father and the determination she inherited from her mother. "I want some answers!"

"Yuki-chan!" Ryo reprimanded her and she hid her momentary guilt at sounding nothing like the polite people her parents were or their daughter, whom they taught to be likewise.

"What sort of answers are you looking for?" Anubis asked her calmly.

"Tell me about Rajura!" She demanded and watched their eyes widen in surprise and then turn uncomfortably away as they looked at each other. Anubis climbed to his feet and moved around the table. He walked to the doorway and stopped, indicating with his hand that she should lead the way.

---

Anubis followed her in silence; she was losing patience as he made no attempt to begin speaking. It seemed he would volunteer nothing, as they neared the edge of the lake she stopped and turned toward him.

"Who was he?" She demanded to know.

"Rajura was a soldier in the service of the emperor Arago, like myself." Anubis answered her without hesitation. He also didn't elaborate, which confirmed Yuki's suspicion that he would not be volunteering anything, she was going to have to work for it.

"Where is he?" She fired another question in her demanding voice. "Why did he give Hiko his armor?"

"He did not give Hiko his armor Yuki. No one _gives_ it to anyone, the armor _chooses_ the one who will bear it." Anubis' calm voice and rational answers were grating on her nerves. "To answer your other question… Rajura is dead."

Her eyes widened in shock and she was momentarily speechless. She felt ashamed of herself for not thinking through what she was asking him. Of course he would have died, if he were alive he would have come to earth with the others nearly a year ago. Anubis must have known him a long time, having been alive for so many hundreds of years.

"I… I'm sorry Anubis-san." She whispered and then turned away. Her emotions already overwrought by the unfortunate ending of her encounter with Shuten, worry over her brother, combined with the time of year it was getting to be and now this, it was all she could do to keep from breaking down in tears.

"Yuki?" He called her gently and she felt him place a comforting hand lightly on her shoulder. "Did something happen? Are you all right?"

She nodded as she struggled with her tears, gaining control at last she turned to face him, his hand falling away as she did so. She knew she did not fool him though, he could see the turmoil in her eyes, the unshed tears. Thankfully however, he chose to ignore it.

"Rajura and I were not friends Yuki." Anubis told her. "I will not pretend to mourn his absence or that such a death as the one he received was not deserved."

"How did he die?" She asked him and he was silent for such a long time that she thought he was going to refuse to answer her question.

"He was killed during the final battle." Anubis began then halted and turned away from her, his eyes staring far out across the lake. It was several moments before he finished. "By Korin no Seiji."

"Uso! She whispered knowing that her proclaiming it to be a lie did not sound very convincing. "What happened… I can't believe it was simply because you were at war, my father is… was not like that."

Anubis continued his silent observance of the lake for several minutes and Yuki began to think that he would not answer her, when he turned to face her.

"Your mother once asked questions of me that I refused to answer." Anubis told her, a touch of whimsy to his voice. "I thought it was for her own good, that she would be better off not knowing. But these days… I sometimes think that if I had… if I had provided her with some answers, she might not have suffered so much during the war, things might have been different..."

"What do you mean?" Yuki's eyes narrowed on Anubis as he spoke.

"I mean that you deserve answers Yuki." He explained. "However unpleasant you may find them to be."

"I think I deserve answers as well." Yuki inclined her head at him.

"I am afraid that you will not be pleased with everything I have to say." Anubis warned her again. "Just try to remember that in times of war even good people can lose their way and out of desperation come the parts of us that we would like never to be revealed."

Yuki gave a single nod indicating that she understood, while at the same time eyeing him warily. If he said anything about her father, anything that called into question his honor or his sense of right, she would not believe it. There was no way that her father would ever lose his way, even in the most desperate of situations.

"The fact that your mother and Rajura were enemies had long since been established, all those who were the enemy of the Samurai Troopers, were her enemy as well. Myself, Naaza and Shuten were included. The day that her and Rajura's mutual _hatred_ manifested can be pinpointed down to the very moment. As the troopers were struggling to gather Tenka the last of their number, Rajura had gone in search of something to entertain himself. He found it, in the form of your mother."

Yuki grew nervous as she contemplated the possibilities of what this man might have done to her mother. If he had laid a finger on her that would certainly account for her father's violent reaction in killing him.

"In a manner of speaking, she was the backbone of the troopers, she held a wealth of knowledge about the workings of their armor that even they did not understand. Her home had become their base of operations and she was their commander. Rajura knew that Nasuti's death would strike a serious blow to their success against Arago.

From the Youjukai the rest of us were watching Rajura remove a scythe from the decorative display on his back. He fully intended to kill her, Nasuti knew this and yet she stood in the face of death and smiled back at it"

Anubis paused and Yuki did not miss the small, smile that appeared momentarily on his lips. She also did not miss the look that appeared in his eyes. She was certain that she had seen that look before but could not quite put her finger on where.

"Rajura's scythe flew at her and we watched as it moved toward her neck as if in slow motion. It would certainly have taken her head off if not for the boy. As it was, the scythe imbedded into her shoulder deep enough to cut through the bone, she was losing blood and would certainly have died before long."

Yuki reached up to touch her wounded right shoulder recalling the words of her brother in that eerily cold voice, _Shall I reopen your old wound?_ She pushed the thought aside as Anubis continued.

"Needless to say Rajura's scythe missed the target. However, I still believe a part of your mother died that day, I believe it was her soul." Anubis paused for several moments before continuing again. "The boy she was trying to save however seemed to believe that he needed to save her and jumped in the path of the speeding scythe. It sliced open his throat and as I said, cut deep into in her shoulder; the boy died in a matter of minutes and she certainly would have if your father had not stopped her from bleeding to death."

"Who was this boy?" Yuki asked when he paused, her eyes widened in surprise as Anubis turned and looked beyond the house, up the hill to where three granite stones stood upright in the grass. She could only gasp his name. "Jun."

Anubis nodded and continued staring for a few moments longer before turning back toward Yuki.

"Shall I continue?" He asked her and she nodded in reply, he sighed and then began speaking. "Your mother changed after this, I believe she felt that the boy's death was somehow her fault and the guilt ate away at her. It was also at this time that someone new appeared in the lives of the Samurai Troopers. A monk; someone we warriors deemed as insignificant but who seemed to agitate Arago to no end. Having been around someone for hundreds of years and never see him grow concerned over the existence of any single person, you can imagine our curiosity."

Yuki nodded when he looked at her.

"This monk also prophesied that your mother would lead to Arago's ruin, that she was the key to the Samurai Troopers defeating him, your mother heard nothing of the monk's words as he whispered them to your father. We could hear them through our window in the Youjukai, we could hear and see everything. And when your mother was at her most vulnerable, Arago sent Shuten to bring her to us. With promises that he could make her forget her pain, her belief that she was only making things worse for the troopers, that she was somehow, placing them in danger, Nasuti had all the incentive she needed to choose the Youjukai. The added incentive that she would get a chance to attack Rajura was not lost on her either, although that attempt failed. However, she was made to forget the young boy and everything else. The Youjukai became her home and we became her friends; the earth was a distant memory, as were the faces and names of those she had left behind on it, until one day, she was sent to battle the Yoroiden Samurai Troopers. For the first time in two years she faced your father again, only this time as his enemy. I believe that just as a part of her had died on the day that boy was killed, that first glimpse into your father's eyes after all that time brought a part of her to life. Maybe it was the restoration of her soul, who knows… We all noticed the differences in her after that encounter and it was not difficult to figure out what was happening. Fragments of her past began to collect and piece themselves together until she remembered everything. She returned to the earth and her friends not long after and took up her fight against us once more. It was during this time that Rajura happened upon your mother; alone and without the protection of her friends, she had no hope of defeating him. Naaza and I watched from the window in the Youjukai as Shuten fought the troopers and Rajura assaulted your mother. Shuten was defeated and Rajura was stopped by Rekka no Ryo before he could actually… well, let's just say Rekka arrived in time to prevent the worse from happening. Still, he had beaten Nasuti to within nearly an inch of her life."

Yuki gasped and tears leapt to her eyes, her hand clamped over her mouth to prevent herself from screaming in protest at what she was being told.

"When Korin saw her torn clothing and bloody face and body, a wave of violence could be felt as far away as the Youjukai. Rajura had gotten away but there was no doubt that Korin no Seiji would deliver him to his death for what he had done. On the day of the final battle, with barely enough left in him to stand, bleeding internally and one step outside of death's door, Korin delivered on that vow. He arrived to prevent what was surely going to be your mother's death and laid waste to Rajura forever, blasting him apart with a surge of light. Shuten had already turned against Arago and fought side by side with the troopers, the rest of us soon joined him. The monk's prophesy came to pass; she was indeed the key to defeating him. For no one else would _I_ have turned my back on Arago."

Here Anubis paused and Yuki realized where she had seen that look before. 

"You loved her!" She whispered quietly.

"We all loved her Yuki." Came Anubis' reply. "She changed us all, showed us the humanity that we had forsaken, returned our souls to us. Taught us that love was not a weakness that we should shun but a blessing that we should cherish."

Yuki stepped closer to Anubis and stared into his eyes. There was no mistaking the look in his eyes; she had seen it a thousand times in her father's eyes when he looked at her mother and only a short time ago, in Shuten's eyes gazing up at her as she lay on top of him. Her mind began to wander back to that moment that she had whispered 'I love you' to him and he had stared back at her blankly. He'd been a soldier of destruction for more than four hundred years and no doubt experienced nothing of joy, laughter, happiness or love…

"Yes." Anubis' voice interrupted Yuki's thoughts. "I was in love with her and so I remain in love with her, after her death, after mine, I will always love only her."

Yuki could only stare in stunned silence for several minutes, a silence that Anubis made no attempt to break after his confession and she could not blame him. It must be a difficult thing seeing the children of another man and the one woman you would love for your entire life, yet he had managed to befriend both her and her brother. She reached up and brushed back his hair that the wind had blown across one eye, her fingers trailing lightly over his brow and then halted, resting against his cheek. She supposed it was her way of offering him comfort, of letting him know that she understood and appreciated his friendship all the more because of it. His eyes drifted closed and he reached up and placed a hand over hers, trapping it against his cheek.

"You are so like her." Anubis told her his voice lower than a whisper. "Sometimes… sometimes… when I hear your laughter I turn and seek her out, knowing that it is not her, but hoping… I see your smile, the way the sun catches the gold in your hair or the determined look in your eyes and…. I feel the familiar beating of my heart stop. I allow myself to think for a moment that it is her I am seeing, that she has come back"

Yuki found herself being pulled against Anubis, his arms around her, holding her tightly against him, one hand stroking her long hair. He was silent for several moments and then continued speaking.

"I witnessed your parents wedding from the Youjukai." He whispered absently. "She was so beautiful and so happy. I never knew her to have such happiness and was glad that she finally found it."

"It is an important memory for me to hold onto. For it is the memory of the kiss they shared that day, which reminds me that… no matter what; she would not come back. Because the only one that she would ever come back for, is with her." He paused then pulled back, his hands going to her shoulders and a warm smile spreading over his face. "This memory also reminds me that it is not her that I hear and see but her daughter; her daughter that carries so much of her mother and her father within her. Her daughter… who I am glad has become my friend."

Yuki's smile grew and she could not help herself when she raised up on her toes and kissed him lightly, muttering a quick 'thank you' as she pulled away. Before she could move away he reached out and embraced her quickly. Yuki was startled at first then returned his friendly hug, her arms going about Anubis comfortingly.

"Lady Nasuti would be happy that we have become friends I think." Anubis told her in his quiet voice.

Yuki's blood ran cold as she barely heard anything beyond 'lady Nasuti'. Just as her brother had said earlier in that voice that had come from his lips but was not his own. She pulled from Anubis' embrace and stared up at him, not wanting to let herself draw conclusions that she feared were correct. She could see by the look in Anubis' eyes that he sensed something was wrong.

"Why do you call my mother that?" She asked him. "Lady Nasuti?"

"It was the title given her by Arago." Anubis informed her. "When she came to the Youjukai, we all called her that."

__

Rajura as well. She concluded silently her fears gaining strength even as she refused to acknowledge them. Her brother would never allow someone that hurt others control him.

"Dooshite Yuki?" Anubis sensing her unease asked her what was wrong.

"Nothing." She smiled and shook her head. The others didn't need to know about this, she would just make certain to keep a closer eye on her brother.

---

Shuten stood on the balcony and felt a chill rush through him that had nothing to do with the breeze that blew off the lake. His eyes were transfixed on the embracing couple below; there was no mistaking the figure of Yuki and Anubis standing near the shore, their arms about each other. Shuten did not know if he wanted to cry, scream or commit murder at that moment. He certainly did not want to call them in to dinner as Ryo had instructed him. He stepped back into the shadows and contemplated what he should do, what he should think and feel. Shuten knew that what he was thinking could not be correct; Yuki did not feel things lightly and she certainly was not capable of the kind of behavior he was suspecting her of at finding her with Anubis. There had to be another explanation. As for what he should do… at this moment he didn't feel that he should do anything, his feelings were not enough in control for him to do anything rationally. It would be best if he went back inside and waited for them to finish… talking. He could speak to her after dinner, in her room where others would not interfere and he could apologize for earlier, attempt to explain his hesitation and tell her that her confession was not stupid and that he loved her as well. 

---

"Anubis-san?" He stopped his progress through the kitchen and turned to face the young woman who called his name. He knew by her wrinkled brow that there was more troubling her than she let on but he would not press her for answers.

"Hai?" He waited for her to continue.

"Would you please make my excuses at dinner?" He raised an eyebrow at this, which she did not miss. "I'm going to take a tray up to my brother and check on him."

"Sayuri-chan is looking after your brother." He reminded her as she began to gather items for tea and arrange them on a tray.

"I know." She nodded as she continued with her task, keeping her eyes averted and head lowered. "Demo… I just need to be sure…"

Anubis stared hard at her as her voice trailed off. He was certain that she was as close to tears as she'd been since her parent's funeral. It being so near that time now, he regretted his actions earlier. He had thought only of helping Yuki but feared he had only increased her melancholy by telling her so much about the time that her parents were alive. Hiko being hurt did nothing to help the matter; her concern over her brother's welfare had no rival, his safety came before anyone else, even her own. There appeared to be something else troubling her as well, something that he could not put his finger on at the moment.

"Very well Yuki." He inclined his head. "I will do as you ask."

He turned to leave and did not miss her quietly spoken 'arigato' as he walked through the door, leaving her alone as he made his way through the myriad of rooms to the dining area, where everyone was gathered except the three that Anubis knew would be absent.

"Where's Yuki-neesan?" Shiro chirruped from beside his mother.

"She went upstairs to look after her brother." Anubis answered. "She was preparing tea for him when I left her in the kitchen."

"Is that so?" Anubis turned at the blatantly derisive tone in Shuten's voice, surprised even further at the sharp gaze in the other man's eyes. Wondering silently, _'what the hell is this about?'_

"Yes." Anubis inclined his head as he spoke. It was then that he noted a spark leaping in Shuten's eyes, a spark that represented only one thing… jealously. _Shuten was jealous? Because of the time that I spent with Yuki? What in the hell is going on? What does Shuten think he's doing?_ Anubis felt anger toward Shuten come alive within him, something he had not felt for many years. He would never allow him to make a mess of human lives again, to manipulate the innocent as he had in the past. He had toyed with Nasuti's life enough; Anubis would not let it continue by allowing him to toy with Nasuti's daughter. "She asked that you forgive her absence at dinner this evening."

There was a general acceptance around the table, Shuten offering a silent nod in agreement but remaining quiet and detached throughout the meal. He excused himself at the earliest possible moment and Anubis' sharp gaze did not leave him until he exited the dining area. After lending his assistance in clearing up the dishes, Anubis made his way upstairs to check on the siblings. He glanced down the darkened hallway toward Shuten's room and was met with only silence then moved to Hiko's room where a small light illuminated the shoji but barely cast more than a faint glow about the room. Anubis spied Yuki asleep in the large chair near her brother's bedside, which held a soundly sleeping Sayuri on top of the blankets next to a dozing Hiko. Without any effort he lifted Yuki from the chair and turned toward the door.

"Anubis." Hiko's voice spoke commandingly from behind him and he halted. "Where do you think you're going with that woman?"

Anubis turned and frowned at the young man in confusion.

"I'm taking her to bed Hiko." He explained the obvious confusion turning to shock as the young man sneered.

"Aah… that was my plan as well." He snickered. "Make certain you return her to me when you are finished and be mindful of Shuten doji… he guards her closely."

"You must have hit your head or something Hiko, she's your sister." Anubis spoke as he moved toward the door, ignoring the strange comments from Hiko, thinking that the boy was probably still dreaming and not aware of his true surroundings or of what he was saying. Anubis decided to throw in a comment that would snap Hiko out of his dream "Not to mention there's a woman already in your bed. "

Anubis couldn't help smiling as he thought of Hiko suddenly coming awake to find Sayuri in his bed. He stepped out into the hall and slid the shoji door closed behind him. He made his way to Yuki's bedroom and lay her down as gently as he could, pulling the blankets up and tucking them around her. He stared down at her for a few moments and then turned to go.

"Anubis-san?" Her small voice halted him.

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me more about my mother?" She asked him.

"Yes."

---

'there's a woman already in your bed', just as he recalled Anubis' words a soft feminine sigh made him turn his head to the right and there she was, just as Anubis had said. Thick locks of blue lay in heavy waves across the pillow, obscuring the woman's face from his view. Rajura felt an unfamiliar sensation in his chest as he stared at the cascade of blue hair. _Sayuri-san_… her name rushed through him like waves rushed up onto the shore, pulling a layer of sand back into the vastness of the sea with each pass. _Sayuri-san_. He gently brushed her hair back from her face and felt the immediate quickening of his heart as want and need filled him simultaneously, along with the urge to protect. Rajura had never felt these sensations before; women in his past had served one basic service and once he'd sated himself with them, they never crossed his mind again. This girl was different or rather the boy whose body he now occupied had such strong feelings toward her it made it impossible for Rajura not to feel it. It didn't matter, he could just as easily entertain himself with this one until he was able to get to Nasuti. Let the boy have his gentle moments with this girl, Rajura could stem his desire until he was able to punish and dominate that bitch. He smiled as he stared across at Sayuri-san, inching closer he was about to press his lips against hers to wake her when he could feel the boy's will pressing to gain control and finally imposing itself over Rajura's. "Sayuri-san?" Hiko whispered in confusion as he woke up and found himself a mere fraction of an inch away from her. She sighed softly in her sleep and burrowed deeper into her pillow. Hiko reached out and gently traced his fingers across her cheek and was surprised to feel that her skin was cold. Maneuvering the blankets free he pulled them over the top of her and settled back in his bed. Nearly jumping out of his skin when a moment later she sighed again, only this time saying his name and then curling into his side with one arm thrown casually across his waist. After lying stock still for what seemed an eternity, afraid to move, afraid to even breathe, Hiko began to relax and eventually dozed off to sleep.

---

Shuten climbed out of bed and as he showered he resolved to clear up what had happened between him and Yuki. He had to tell her and he knew that she would forgive him once he explained. Just as he would put aside his doubt and worry over seeing her outside with Anubis and Anubis carrying her to bed, remaining in her room for what seemed like and actually might have been, hours. He dried off quickly with his towel, dressed and headed down the stairs in search of her, only to discover that she'd eaten breakfast and gone shopping with Sayuri, not expecting to return until noon.

Pensive and anxious Shuten nearly leapt at the door when he heard her car pull up. Calming himself somewhat, he watched her from the balcony. She was carrying several bags, as was Sayuri, he lost sight of them as they neared the main door below. He heard the door open and then close, footsteps clamored up the stairs and Shuten made to follow her, only to find Shiro and Toyohiko toting the brightly colored shopping bags up the stairs. As the two boys bickered about having to carry the bags for girls who didn't know when to stop shopping, Shuten wondered what the hell was going on.

The rest of the day went on pretty much the same and Shuten was beginning to believe that someone was toying with him. Some god who controls such things was manipulating the time displacement dials and keeping him from meeting up with her face to face. It was insane. He needed to speak to Yuki; she needed to hear him out as he begged for her understanding over what happened and hopefully lay to rest the doubt and feelings of mistrust and betrayal that were increasing with each moment that past. He was trying his best not to allow them to overtake him but as the day wore on the image of her and Anubis embracing began to over shadow everything else.

The sky was growing dark and Shuten made his way toward the dojo by way of Nasuti's garden, looking up he nearly fell over in shock at running into the very person he'd nearly given up every hope of seeing today. Yuki did not turn as he called her name, if anything she averted her face even further.

"What is it Shuten?" She finally asked when he made no move to leave, to him her voice sounded odd, sort of despondent and melancholy.

He hesitated and then thought better of it; hesitation is what had landed him in this position in the first place. Shuten stepped close to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her back against him, his lips close to her ear.

"Yuki." He whispered and kissed her shoulder. "I want to talk to you about yesterday…"

"Please Shuten, I… I can't do this now." She interrupted him and stepped free of his embrace, her voice sounding more distraught then before. "Can we discuss this later?"

Shuten dropped his hands to his sides and turned away. He could feel his anger rising at her rejection and if he'd learned anything in the last four hundred years it was that you did not speak while you were angry, because the result would be things you don't mean and would no doubt regret later. Unfortunately learning something and applying what you have learned were two very different things.

"And when might that be Yuki?" Shuten let spill the first thing that his anger could summon. "After you've finished your little dance with Anubis?"

And just as his subconscious tried to warn him, Shuten began to regret what he had said almost the moment the words left his mouth. But it was too late; his words were already out there, poisoning them both as they lingered in the air around them. He could hear the gravel beneath her feet as she moved, turning around to face him.

"What did you just say?" She whispered in disbelief, he turned to face her and felt guilty at the same disbelief that he'd heard in her voice, now showing in her eyes. This only served to increase his anger as he felt that he had no reason to feel guilty, she was the one that was with Anubis.

"I saw him carry you to your room. I know that he stayed in there for most of the night." He told her full of self-righteousness, daring her to deny it. "And before that, by the lake, I could see you from the balcony."

She stared at him for several minutes in silence and he watched her eyes fill with painful disappointment. Seeing the look in her eyes made him want to drop to his knees and beg her forgiveness but he remained still and resolute.

"Well… I… I never would have believed... that your opinion of me was as bad as this." She began with a short humorless laugh and was silent for several moments before continuing; her voice was quiet and disheartened. "I think you should go now Shuten."

Lowering her head she turned away from him and stepped through the open doors into the dojo without another word. Shuten hurried after her, grabbing her hand to keep her from leaving. She yanked it free and turned on him; her eyes blazed with fire while brimming with barely contained tears.

"You cannot possibly be finding it difficult Shuten, " her voice was growing thick as she tried to choke back the tears. "To let go of someone whom you hold so low an opinion."

Shuten watched her tears spill over and down her cheeks. He could not move, could barely even breathe from the pain he felt at seeing her cry and knowing he was the cause of it. It was as if a knife cut open his chest, his heart was ripped out, wrapped in piercing barbed wire and placed back in his chest. 

"Goodbye Shuten." She sobbed and ran from the room, leaving him alone with his agonizing open wound bleeding. It was more painful than anything he'd ever felt before.

---

Yuki bolted from the dojo and made her way toward the other end of the house. She wanted to be alone but did not want to walk past the others to get upstairs to her room; she slipped around to the kitchen and stopped dead. Sitting around the room was Sayuri, her brother, Makoto and Shiro, all but Shiro were facing the opposite direction and she quickly averted her face before any of the others could see her tears.

"Excuse me." She whispered trying to make her voice sound normal and turn back in the other direction before anyone could question her.

"Yuki-neesan?" Shiro called her, his voice full of worry. "Dooshite?"

Yuki ignored Shiro and was determined to escape their well meant concern but found herself running smack into the solid wall of a chest. She raised her eyes up to meet Anubis' gaze, which at the sight of her tears turned to wide-eyed shock.

"Yuki, dooshite?" He echoed Shiro's concern.

Unable to stop herself Yuki sobbed and shook her head at the same time lowering it. She felt his fingers under her chin, lifting her face up and the sobbing became uncontrollable, fresh tears began to pour from her eyes.

"Did something happen Yuki?" He asked her and she felt stupid at only being able to respond with more tears. How could she tell him that her heart was broken and weary and weak? How could she tell him that she was overwhelmed with worry about her brother, with sadness at the approaching anniversary of her parent's death and with pain at Shuten's having shattered her heart into a million pieces? She could not utter a single word, not to anyone because if she did, it would hurt all the more.

"Did Shuten say or do something to you?" Her head snapped up at Anubis' question. Was she so obvious, so transparent that others could see her feelings? She stepped back and out of his embrace then turned and ran up the stairs to her room. Yuki threw herself on her bed and buried her face in her pillow so that she might continue crying without being heard, until a light knock and then the sound of her door sliding open and closed made her quiet down.

"Oneesan?" Her brother called quietly from just inside the door. She did not turn to look at him, she didn't move at all; she just remained lying on her bed facing the wall. Yuki could hear him moving closer and the mattress gave way as he sat down near the head of her bed. 

"Oneesan, don't be afraid to trouble me with your feelings." She felt his hand gently stroking her hair, just like her father used to do and at this thought her tears resumed. "It cannot always be you that is the strong one. Let me be strong for you now."

She turned around and let him gather her in his arms. Her tears soon stopped but the two of them remained comfortable in their closeness, as they'd always been.

"Hiko?" Yuki spoke after some time. "Let's go to Otousan's house for a while. I don't want to be _here_."

"Whatever you want Oneesan." He told her. "I wasn't looking forward to the upcoming week either. I think it will be better if we're away from _this place_ during that time."

It was strange how words that they had both used their entire lives had taken on new meaning since the loss of their parents. They talked about their parent's deaths without actually saying it, words like 'that time', 'the upcoming week' or 'for a while', all signified the anniversary of the day that their parent's had died. The house that the two of them had grown up in, their home had suddenly become 'here' or 'this place' and spoken with much emphasis, as if the house had become a dirty place too filthy to mention.

"It wont be the same without Obaachan and Ojiichan being there." Hiko whispered. "Ne Oneesan?"

"Nothing has been the same since that day Hiko." Yuki answered him. "Nothing will ever be the same again."

Yuki felt bad for saying what she did and wished she could take it back. It wasn't fair to push all this onto him. He didn't need to hear her theory on their bleak future as the only survivors of their family. She was about to apologize when he broke the silence with another question.

"I wonder if Okaasan and Otousan watch over us from where they are?" He asked.

"I know they do." She answered without hesitation.

"Do you think that they are happy?" Hiko fired another question at her. "Do you think they miss us?"

Yuki turned her head to look at her brother; his eyes were so sad, so uncertain that she was momentarily angry with herself. She'd forgotten for a moment how he must be feeling right now, he was just as close to their parents as she was and he was far more sensitive than she. _He must be suffering a great deal_. She thought to herself.

"I believe that they are happy because they are together." She answered after a few moments of contemplating his question. "And yes Hiko, they miss us very much."

"How can you be so certain?" He asked sounding doubtful. Again she contemplated his question for several minutes. Certainly there can be no harm in telling him her experience, it had to provide some relief as it had her, to know that they were always watching, always nearby and most important, they were together.

"Hiko, do you remember the night we went to the club and Makoto was taken to the police station?" When he nodded she continued, telling him everything from when she'd gone up to her parents markers to her father appearing. She told him of how their father had taken her to another place, how he had talked to her and told her that her brother was worried about her. She told him about the orb and how it was in her hand when she woke up. When she was finished telling him everything, except the apprehension her father expressed over him, she raised her eyes to his, waiting to see his reaction. His eyes were wide with shock but this did nothing to indicate whether he believed her or thought she was some crazy, whack that used to be his sister.

"They really _are_ watching us." He finally spoke and Yuki could not help but smile as she nodded.

"I am glad you believe me Hiko." She told him.

"I have no reason not to believe you Oneesan. You have never lied to me."

"And I never will." She promised.

Feeling her melancholy lift slightly and preferring action to dwelling in self-pity, she slid to the edge of her bed and climbed to her feet. Turning back to face her brother who remained seated.

"How about I ask Sayuri to come with us?" She asked him with a sly smile. "If she agrees we can start packing the car right away and leave first thing tomorrow morning."

"Arigato." He whispered gaining a sudden interest in his feet, staring hard at them as his shyness got the better of him.

"No Hiko." She whispered from the doorway. "Thank you."

---

Anubis removed his shoes as he entered the house, sliding his feet into the first pair of slippers he came to and made his way to the kitchen, where the others were already gathered to play a game of cards. He padded down the long hallway and turned, colliding head on with Yuki. He'd been on the verge of making some comment about her running from trouble when she'd raised her eyes to him and the words died on his lips. To say he was shocked was an understatement, to see her in tears was no small event, she did not like to show weakness to anyone and she definitely saw tears as a weakness. His first thought was that something had happened to her brother; what else could make her breakdown in such a manner.

"Yuki, dooshite?" He asked with urgency, then spying Hiko across the room looking just as confused and unable to explain her condition as everyone else, Anubis' thoughts went directly to Shuten.

He placed his fingers under her chin and bit down on his anger that magnified ten-fold as her quiet sobs increased and more tears slipped down her cheeks.

"Did Shuten say or do something to you?" He asked her while trying to keep the anger from his voice and the others from overhearing him. The look she gave at his question told him all he needed to know. He did not try to stop her when she pulled free of his hands that held her shoulders, he was too angry. 

"Anubis-san, what happened?" His eyes suddenly focusing on her younger brother, who now stood before him, his distress at seeing his sister in such a state was obvious. "Did she tell you anything?"

"No Hiko, she didn't." Anubis answered the younger man. "You should go to her, you are the only one she will not turn away."

Hiko nodded and left the room, his footsteps could soon be heard moving up the stairs to his sister's room. Anubis gave everyone else a look that told them to stay put and then turned and left the room, heading straight for the dojo in search of Shuten. He had guessed correctly when assuming he would be there, spotting him standing at one end of the darkened room when he entered. He marched toward him with purposeful steps and as the former Oni Masho turned at Anubis' approach he was met with a powerful foot hammering him in the chest and sending him sprawling across the room.

Shuten's reflexes were impeccable, although many years had passed since he'd been required to respond to an attack. He was on his feet and ready to face his enemy in less than a second; obviously shocked when he realized whom his attacker was.

"Anubis!" He lowered his fists and demanded an explanation. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"That's a question you should be answering." Anubis snapped as he walked closer to Shuten and stopped in front of him. As he looked the other man over he could see that something was troubling him as well. His former leader had grown less adept at hiding his feelings over the years and although Anubis could not always tell what the other man was thinking, he could always tell when something was wrong. "I just saw Yuki."

Anubis did not need to say anything more, Shuten lowered his gaze and turned away before whispering quietly, 'did you?'

"How could you do this Shuten?" Anubis demanded. "How could you toy with her in this way?"

Shuten turned on him, his own eyes blazing with an angry flame as he demanded, 'you might ask yourself the same question Anubis, I'm sure our answers will be quite similar.'

Anubis stared at Shuten, his brows furrowing as he thought about what he said, not understanding his comment at all. Until suddenly a light went off in his head, had he not just last night confessed to Yuki how sometimes, certain things that she did reminded him of her mother and how sometimes, just for a moment, he would fool himself into thinking that she was indeed, her mother. Still Anubis would never allow himself to be fooled for long and he would never, despite their similarities, intentionally try to replace Nasuti with her daughter. The very idea that Shuten would resort to such means not only surprised him but angered him as well. He would have never believed Shuten capable or even wanting to do such a thing.

"Shuten." He began and then hesitated. "Shuten, I have known you for many years… but, I would never have believed you capable of this."

"Desperation can make a man capable of many things." Shuten gave a short humorless laugh as he once again turned to face the other way. "It is not an easy thing to admit such a weakness, but weak I am. My submission to these feelings was inevitable and having submitted, there is no breaking free."

Shuten laughed derisively once again before continuing, 'I don't even want to break free. How desperate is that?' He asked Anubis who could only stand in silent shock at Shuten's confession. "Arago's rule pales to insignificance in comparison to this force that has captured me and you know first hand the difficulty of breaking free from that master. I am trapped, forever."

Anubis could not help but feel sympathy at Shuten's confession, sympathy and surprise. He thought that Shuten's feelings for Nasuti had waned over the years; he had no doubt that Shuten still loved her but it had faded in their separation from each other. He'd been certain that just as she had moved on, so had he. It now appeared that he was incorrect in his assumption. Still, that did not excuse what he was attempting to do and Anubis knew, as he was certain that Shuten knew, Nasuti would never forgive him for what he was doing.

"I am sorry Shuten." Anubis stepped forward and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder in an attempt to offer some comfort. "I understand your feelings but what you are doing is not right. Nasuti would never forgive you for using her daughter in this way."

"Using her daughter?" Shuten turned to face Anubis, a confused frowned on his face.

"Do you really think nothing at all of trying to replace Nasuti with Yuki?" He asked at Shuten's blatant disregard for the young woman. "You can't be so desperate that you would forget about how this would affect her."

"Is that what you think?" Shuten demanded and Anubis was suddenly confused. Shuten shook his head as the look in Anubis' eyes confirmed that was indeed what he'd been thinking. "Anubis, no one can replace Nasuti, nor would I want them to."

Anubis felt relief and then shock as that relief brought on the realization of what Shuten meant.

"Are you saying that you're in love with Yuki?" Anubis asked him hesitantly.

"No..."Shuten whispered. "What I feel cannot possibly be summed up by such simple words. I breathe, I dream, I live and I ache for her."

Anubis' shock was palpable; he could not believe such a confession came from Shuten. His own feelings toward Nasuti could be summed up exactly the same, although he had never admitted them to anyone, except her daughter, they were no less real and Anubis could truly feel for his friend.

"Did you tell Yuki how you felt?" Anubis asked and was not surprised when Shuten shook his head.

"When the moment came I found myself unable to utter a word." Shuten admitted. "And when I worked up the courage, she was not interested in hearing it."

"Why was she crying earlier?" Anubis asked and did not miss the way Shuten cringed, letting him know that it was a result of something that had happened between the two of them.

"I was angry and upset… and I said some things to her that I did not mean." Shuten confessed; he grew silent and his brows wrinkled for a moment before he continued. "Although, now that I think about it, she seemed to be upset about something else before I said anything to her. I tried to apologize but she…"

"Shuten no baka!" Anubis shouted and cuffed his friend upside the head. "Of course she was already upset. Do you have any idea what the coming weekend represents? She's upset over her brother getting hurt! I am certain she must have already been experiencing some confusion or distress over you! All this on top of the anniversary of her parent's death approaching! _Seemed to be upset about something else?_ I would say she had plenty to already be upset about! No wonder she didn't want to talk to you."

They stared at each other in silence for several moments.

"What did you say to make her cry Shuten?" Anubis sighed.

"I… I told her that I'd seen the two of you by the lake and saw you carry her to bed and remain in her room." Shuten spoke with great hesitancy. Anubis closed his eyes and inhaled long and slow. "I accused her of…

Anubis held up his hand to stop Shuten's confession, opening his eyes at the other man's silence before mumbling, 'you really are stupid Shuten and you had better find some way to apologize to her.'

"But I tried. She will not speak to me, she will not listen to anything I have to say." Shuten pleaded his case.

"Then write her a letter!" Anubis shouted. "I don't care how you do it just make sure you do it! That girl has experienced enough pain in her life without some shit head like you hurting her because you are too stubborn or too stupid to admit how you feel! Not to mention Nasuti will never forgive you for what you have done!"

"Nor will I." They both turned at the sound of a third voice, knowing full well who it belonged to before seeing him silhouetted in the doorway. Hiko stepped into the dojo and walked with purposeful steps toward the two men already there, stopping in front of them his eyes never straying from Shuten's.

"You are my friend Shuten and so it gives me no pleasure to say this." Hiko stated, sounding more grown up than anyone had ever heard him before. "But if you ever intentionally hurt my sister again, I will kill you."

"Hiko!" Anubis started to reprimand the younger man only to be stopped by Shuten's raised hand.

"No Anubis." Shuten spoke quietly his gaze still locked with Hiko's. "Leave him be, Toyohiko has every right to say what he did."

"You find a way to apologize to my sister Shuten." Hiko spoke again. "Do it soon."

"I am sorry for disappointing you Toyohiko, I will apologize to your sister tonight and pray that she forgives me." Shuten spoke with sincerity.

"And if she refuses to forgive you Shuten?" Hiko asked what Shuten did not even want to consider.

"If she refuses to forgive me… and my presence only brings her pain," Shuten began and then paused for several moments before continuing. "Then I will return to the Youjukai and leave her in peace."

It would be better that way. Shuten knew that he could not stay and see her every day if she would not forgive him, would never be his.

The younger man nodded in acceptance and the older nodded in confirmation.

Immediately after Hiko left the dojo, Shuten retired to his room. Taking the advice of Anubis, he began to write down on paper, all that he felt, all that he was sorry for and all that he hoped for the two of them. When he was finished he handed the letter to Anubis who agreed to deliver it to Yuki, as he doubted she would take it from him.

--- 

"We're leaving now Yuki!" Sayuri shouted from the living room. "Are you sure there's nothing else you want us to add to this list?"

Yuki walked out of her bedroom and down the hall toward Sayuri, she glimpsed Hiko all bundled up in his winter clothes and waiting by the door. She chuckled a little as he showed her his mitten-clad hands.

"I think we wrote down everything we might need Sayuri." Yuki glanced quickly down at the list. "If there's anything you see at the market that you think we may need go ahead and get it."

"Okay." She walked toward Hiko who opened the door for her as she approached. "We'll be back soon."

Yuki nodded as they turned back to waive before closing the door. She watched them drive away and returned to her unpacking once they were gone. They had arrived late yesterday afternoon and after getting almost no sleep the night before and the long drive to Sendai, she, Hiko and Sayuri were barely able to do more than drag their bags and their bodies into the house and collapse. Having surrendered her bedroom to Sayuri and unwilling to take that which had belonged to her mother and father when they'd visited, Yuki settled into the room that had once belonged to her grand parents. Yuki lifted a sweater from her bag and something fluttering to the floor caught her attention, her eyes settling on a neatly folded paper with her name written across it very elegantly. Hanging the sweater in the closet she picked up the paper, noticing it was several pages thick.

"A letter?" She whispered curiously wondering who could have written it. She carefully unfolded the corners and opened it noticing that it was dated two days ago, lifting the first page to see the name at the bottom of the second page. _Shuten doji_. Yuki's hands began to shake; she swallowed back the lump in her throat and fought the pain she felt welling in her heart. What could he possibly have to say to her, more insults? She was tempted to throw the letter away without reading it and was on the verge of balling it up when she stopped herself. Something in her heart telling her that she needed to read it, that the letter was important. Refusing to be completely undisciplined however, she finished her unpacking and then made her way to the back of the house where she turned the automatic gas on to heat up the bath. She fixed herself a cup of hot tea retrieved the letter and settled down in the living room to read it. Hating her hands that betrayed her by shaking while she opened the letter and began to read.

__

Konoyuki.

I must first apologize; my behavior to you tonight was despicable. Sadly, I must confess that my behavior to you most other times has been less than I am proud of as well. Certainly it has been far less than you deserve.

When I am confused or uncertain I tend to respond with silence or anger; this is not an excuse, merely an attempt to make you understand and perhaps, forgive me. From the moment my eyes met yours across the stretch of lawn at your mother's house I have been in a constant state of confusion and uncertainty. Confusion over the pair of piercing gray eyes that embedded in my heart and sang to my soul, uncertain because being in love with you, being trapped by you, gave you possession of my certainty.

My silence when you whispered 'I love you' in my ear so sweetly did not mean that I cannot or do not return your feelings, more appropriately it was a representation of my own. I was at a loss, never have I heard another human being say those words to me in my entire life. Perhaps I was overwhelmed at being handed everything that I wanted all at once. Whatever the reason, I am sorry that my silence hurt you. I wish I had told you then that I loved you, it would have made things easy. Then again… how could what I feel be made easy by mere words? I would rip out my heart and hand it to you if you asked; it is yours to do with what you please. I would strip my soul from my body and lay it on the ground at your feet if you wanted it, for it is yours as well. Everything I have ever been or ever will be belongs to you Konoyuki. Without my even realizing, it always has. Always.

My fears and uncertainty got the better of me tonight and against my better judgment, I spoke in anger and said things to you that I didn't mean. I know you are not capable of such behavior. You are strong, forthright and faithful, just like your father was and I am ashamed to have ever suggested otherwise.

I am praying every moment for your forgiveness, I am praying every moment that I have not heard you whisper 'I love you' to me for the last time and I am praying every moment for another chance to whisper those same words to you. However, if after reading this you still cannot or will not forgive me, although it is not what I would hope for, I will respect your decision and wish you well. 

Shuten doji.

"Damn that man." Yuki whispered as she wiped her eyes and folded up the letter and began to berate herself. "I told myself I was done crying over that jackass!"

Stomping into the bedroom she flung the letter onto the bed, stripped out of her clothes and grabbed the short robe that hung on a hook just inside the closet. She slipped it on and stormed through the house, outside around the dojo, her bare feet feeling the bite of the chilly air as she walked across the wooden floor that surrounded the dojo and led her to the bathhouse. The steam seeping through the closed window and door were a welcome sight and Yuki nearly dove headfirst into the steaming hot water as she stepped into the house and let the door swing shut, banging against the wooden stops behind her. 


End file.
